FF8 Tournament
by John Tomorrow
Summary: Zell enters a world martial arts tournament in order to stop an assassination attempt. But is the competition too much for him? Contains massive fight/magic scenes. **COMPLETE**
1. The Story So Far

FF8 Tournament

As you might find from this fic, I'm a bit of a Zell fan. On this site I've found a ton and a half of excellent fanfic concerning Zell (Bookworms and Booya comes to mind, as well as Are You Stupid), and have decided to write my contribution.

_I'll say this here and now – if you do not like violence or fight scenes, and are into drama and the such – go back and find another fic. My style of writing is mostly in-your-face and violent, and in the world of FullLife and Phoenix Down, this only gives me more opportunity to kick the crap out of random characters (Zell included – I'm not THAT biased)._

_That said, drama is still a part of this story. Hell, you gotta fill the space between fight scenes somehow!! I'm not sure yet wether or not Zell will have a romance in this one – he always seems to get some in all the fics I've read – but if you wish, I shall include one. By the way, look out for little asteriks around in the fic (*). These are references to FF8 Chronicles, another Fic I'm working on (in other words, if you really wanna get the full deal out of this fic, you're gonna have to read my other works!!)_

_Right. Introductions over. Time to strap yourself in, slap on some thrash music (Disturbed or Drowning Pool is the best), and get ready to ROCK!_

_Michael Kenny, Author_

*          *            *

Zell sat with concentration etched into his tattooed face, trying to ignore the bruising that he had just received from the Grat he had just annihilated. The injury had been a result of overconfidence and a little too much energy put into the kick – the monster had ducked at the last instant, the tentacle slapping Zell right on the ribs as his kick went flying over it's malformed mouth of a head – before he had blasted it to oblivion with a Firaga to the face.

He was clothed in his regular attire – denim shorts that reached his shins, a black, short-sleeved leather coat over a black, short-sleeved shirt with a red and blue strip crossing the chest. Red and black sneakers adorned his feet, with red socks.

His hair was spiked, something that seemed to just happen naturally. He had no idea why, it just seemed to spike, which was why he kept it short. A black tattoo snaked over the left side of his face, seeming to flow like oil from his left temple and stopping before it covered his face.

His side was a mixture of burning and throbbing, but he ignored it, drawing his focus to his surroundings. His pleasant blue eyes were closed, but the rest of his senses were on high alert, probing his surroundings for another opponent.

The lush greenery of the Training Centre surrounded him, ferns and palms being the main plant life. They covered almost the entire area of the Centre, except for a few small pathways and some clearings devoted for those people wanting some room for a fight. All pathways were brightly lit, encase a student wished to escape to the safety of the corridor – but some of the smarter monsters also knew how to follow these signs, at it was well known that most of the time you were chased out of the Centre – as opposed to quietly sneaking out.

His ears perked as something large crunched it's way through foliage behind him, but the crunching disappeared as the monster walked the opposite direction. The area was rather large – larger then any other Gardens, almost half the size of the whole Garden itself. A willing and determined student could start out in the morning and come back in the afternoon, and had gone through the entire Centre – but not without having to take out some monsters along the way.

Most students also knew to traverse the Centre in twos or in groups – never by themselves. Only SeeDs or Instructors were stupid enough to do that.

So Zell sat, his mind one with his body, alone. His impudence when it came to lone training was highly frowned upon by his friends and co-workers. _What happens if you get hurt?_ Had been the usual argument, but the one that had popped up lately was _What if you did some more damage to the Garden?_

After the incident concerning the two T-rexaurs*, he had come under much grief concerning his power level. Squall had pleaded a good case for him, but in the end he was told that he could never use My Final Heaven again, unless in cases concerning work or in extremely dire situations. The repercussions for his use of overwhelming strength were a docking of his pay and a home arrest for a year, as well as prevention of Summoning and Magic usage.

That meant he got paid just enough to eat what he usually ate, and wasn't allowed out of the Garden unless accompanied by an official of the Security Committee.

To say the least, his options for entertainment were limited.

And he was getting bored.

His lockdown on his magic had been lifted days ago, and he had thankfully received them, immediately going into the Training Centre to beat down on some Grat heads. The lockdown on his home arrest was to be lifted in a week, as long as he could show the International and Garden Board that he could keep his strength and magic use in check.

Needless to say, he was hoping for the Board to be generous. The surveillance bug that they had planted on him had been cramping his style, following him everywhere, even into the toilet. He couldn't wait for privacy once more.

Something moved to his left. Small and lithe, by the sounds of the footsteps, which were tip-toeing their way across the dirt ground – 

Before launching themselves into the air!

Zell felt the breeze change subtly, and he rolled backwards to avoid an attack to the back, coming to his feet and launching a roundhouse kick – 

To stop mere inches away from Selphie's innocent face. Standing at only 5' 1", dressed in a yellow, one-piece dress, which left the legs to prying eyes, it was no wonder why she had most of the students falling after her. The fact that she was the second most beautiful girl in the Garden, with her lush green eyes and innocent looks, didn't help. "Hi Zell!" she bubbled, oblivious of the imminent danger she had just been in. "How are you?!"

Zell rolled his eyes and lowered his leg, relieved that his reflexes could still determine friend from foe. For some reason, they had never seemed to click on a relationship kind of way. They had just remained good friends. "Selphie, what are you doing? Trying to get yourself killed?"

She smiled sweetly. "No. I just want to take my friend out to lunch! Is that so bad?"

"Lunch?" Zell subtly checked his watch. _13:23. I completely forgot!_ He smiled down to her. "Sorry about that Selph. I forgot!"

Selphie rolled her eyes and raised a tiny fist, knocking it on his head like one would do to a door. "Hello? Gaia to Zell? How would you forget?!" She sat down and began to trace patterns into the dusty dirt. "It's not as if you've been doing anything else the last few months…except come in here and train, that is."

Zell rubbed the back of his neck, feeling slightly selfish and embarrassed. "Sorry Selphie." He crouched down next to her. "I've been under embargo so long, I've become a little cramped. The only thing I can do to release some stress is to train." He shrugged as if he had no other choice.

She slapped the ground with her fist, like a spoiled child. "But what about your friends?" she whined. "We wanna do stuff with you too! And whenever we want to, you're either in here or in the infirmary, getting over being in here."

He laughed at that, missing the seldom seriousness in her face. "Well, without Ifrit and Bahamut it's pretty easy to get hurt whilst training." He lifted his shirt, exposing his muscle-filled chest. "Look at this! I've been in here five hours, and already I've been slapped a few times by some Grats!"

Selphie looked, awestruck, at his chest. Bruises crisscrossed his ribs, and there was a scratch, which gathered speed from his abdomen till the bottom of his left nipple. Other scars riddled his body, large jagged ones, slim smooth ones, and round circles like bullet holes. He looked like a collage of injury. "Hyne, look at you!"

He looked down at his chest and frowned. "What?"

"I've never seen…" her voice trailed off as she pulled her gaze away from his chest.

He lowered the shirt slowly. "It's nothing, really…I'm not that hurt, it's just some bruising…I'll cast Cure if it'll make you feel better…"

"No. The scarring."

Zell's concern was changed to something that Selphie couldn't read. He shrugged slowly. "The magic only heals wounds, Selph. It doesn't cover the scars…or the memories."

Before she could say anything else, he stood quickly, his face grim. "Did you bring your Flail?" he asked quickly.

"No…I was just going to see how you were…"

"Then get up into a tree or something, cause something big is coming this way _right now_." As if to back him up, a loud roar was emitted from the trees behind where they were sitting. There was the crackling and rustling of trees and bushes, and a T-rexaur suddenly emerged from the foliage, turning to the two humans and roaring for all it was worth.

Selphie, for all her reputation as an air-head, knew when to run when the opportunity arose, and she took this opportunity like the next train out of Deling. Running for a rocky outcrop, she threw a quick glance over her shoulder to see if Zell was behind her.

_He was facing the big monster off!!_

Fists raised, his body set to a certain position, he looked up at the dinosaur as if he fought one everyday.

Flipping over a rock and landing on the balls of her feet, she spun round and yelled over the boulder at Zell. "Run, you idiot!"

The dinosaur looked over to where she called, and Zell watched as she ducked timidly down, out of sight. _Good. She's out of the way._ "I'll be fine!" he called back. "I try to fight one almost every day."

That said, he balled his fist, the knuckles within the gloved hand cracking. Stepping in close to the giant reptile, he smashed his fist into where he thought its stomach would be, the hand seeming to bend the hard scales _in_ with the blow.

The T-Rexaur seemed coughed, like a cat would, then roared in pain, it's bellow echoing around the confines of the training centre.

*          *            *

In a control room, on the other side of the world, a person siting in front of a terminal pressed a stud on the control panel in front of him. A tiny microphone flipped out of his terminals screen, and he talked clearly into it. "Sir, the subject is about to begin. Would you like to see the results of the fight?" Listening to the garble of information being processed through his earpiece, he nodded to no one in particular. "Very well, sir."

*          *            *

Zell pulled his fist out of the dent he had made in the huge creature, and spun-kicked it into oblivion, the leg he attacked snapping easily like a twig from a tree. The gigantic monster boomed to the floor, dust rising as it's collision took a few trees with it.

Dusting his hands, Zell turned and began to walk to where Selphie hid. "come on! It was nothing!!" he called, before turning around slowly.

The monster had risen shakily to it's feet, it's massive head rolling from side to side as it tried to shake the chocobo's from it's vision. Zell spat on the floor, before rubbing the back of his neck. "Whoops. Guess I didn't finish you off, huh?"

Drawing the magic within him, his entire body clenched, his muscles tightening like vices on his bones as the cold energy settled in his chest. Raising his left arm, he pointed his palm towards the still dazed creature, his fingers fanning out. Almost as an after thought, he wrapped right hand around the wrist of his left, to provide support. His hand began to smoke as the air around it grew cold, and he tried to set himself in preparation for the kick.

His hand blasted the Blizaga attack at an incredible speed, the attack blasting the dinosaur's chest into big, meaty chunks. The back-kick from the blast blew Zell back, his feet skidding on the floor as he tried to retain some balance. He finally stopped when his back slammed into a boulder, stopping his trajectory.

Shaking his head, the release of magic still a little overwhelming thanks to month of under use, he looked up to see Selphie staring down at him, wide-eyed and mouth gaping.

Smiling sheepishly, he waved up to her.

*          *            *

"Well, how's it going?"

"Sorry, sir. You missed the battle."

"Missed it? How long did it take?"

The man at the terminal checked the time. "About two minutes sir. In his last battle with a T-Rexaur he had taken ten minutes and fifty-three seconds, with magic usage. His strength has risen tremendously since then, thanks to the embargo on his magic and GF's."

The other man stood silent for s second. "What do you think? Should we contact him?"

The man at the terminal was about to reply, but suddenly realised that his superior was talking to a man on a mobile unit. The other man listened to the unit intently, before turning it off with a press of a button. "Keep up the good work. _Don't_ let him out of your sight." And with that, he was gone.

*          *            *

Zell sat in the cafeteria, sipping a soda, and trying to wave Selphie off. "Would you stop staring at me like that!?" he muttered, taking a swig of cola.

"I can't help it!" Selphie said, sitting on a chair and leaning precariously on it's edge, moving as close forward as Zell would allow. "You took out a T-Rexuar all by yourself!"

Zell swallowed his cola and placed it on the table in front of him, rubbing the can's edge. "I used magic…it was no big deal…"

"Yes it was."

"No it wasn't."

"Yes it was."

"No, it wasn't."

"Yes, it was."

_"No, _it wasn't."

"_Yes_, it was."

He looked at her with barely veiled annoyance, before grabbing her head and planting it under his armpit, curling his arm around her neck. "It wasn't, wasn't, wasn't, wasn't, wasn't!!" he muttered, laughing, as he gave her the biggest noogie he had ever given her.

She laughed and screamed; fighting desperately to disengaged his kung-fu grip. He let he god, but not after scuffling her hair as she ducked for cover. "You meanie!" she yelled, giggling from behind her chair.

He stuck his tongue out at her and swigged the rest of his soda, before smashing the can flat with his head.

"Hey, kids. What's happening?" A Galbadian drawl announced over the hustle and bustle of the cafeteria.

Zell turned to see Irvine stride his way over, a tray in his hands. Dressed in yellow leather, wide brimmed hat and riding boots, he looked the perfect image of a cowboy. With clear grey eyes, perfect features and long hair pushed back into a ponytail, he wasn't bad with the ladies either. To say his home-run rate with the ladies was the largest in all three Gardens was an understatement.

Zell gave him a quick finger-to-forehead salute, before polishing off the rest of his hotdog.

Selphie smiled as she saw him coming, then wiped it off as he sat down next to her. "Kiss." She said simply, presenting her cheek to him.

"Mwa." He said, pecking her lightly.

She giggled and set back into her T-burger. They had been going out on and off for ages now, ever since they had defeated the Sorceress. The incident with the Instructor files** had hampered their relationship a little, what with the slander that had been put on Irvine's name. The fact that he could not use magic, not even to summon, had been overwhelming bad for his reputation…for about a day.

"So what's up, man. You been in the Training Centre again?" Irvine said, unwrapping the paper on his T-burger and munching down on it.

"Yep." Zell said, picking up another hotdog, his second from a platter of five.

"He took out a T-Rexaur, all by himself." Selphie muttered through a full mouth.

"Really?" Irvine said nonchalantly, barely rasing an eyebrow. "Well, that's something, huh?"

Zell smiled. In front of the chicks, he was as cool as Shiva – but as soon as Selphie walked away, Irvine would be all over him. _How long did it take? Did you use magic? Did it hurt you? What moves did you use? Damn, I wish I had been there! I could take one on myself too, you know…_

"So what does it feel like to finally be able to leave the Garden in a few days?" Selphie said, smiling as she finished off the rest of her T-burger.

"It'll be a Hyne-send!" Zell said drastically, snapping open another can of soda and guzzling down half the contents in one swig. "The first thing I'm gonna do is go see Ma. She'll be worried sick about me!" He slammed down the rest of the can and crushed it on his head again.

Irvine looked slightly disgusted. "Can you not do that in my presence, thank you."

Zell looked genuinely confused. "What?"

The surveillance bug buzzed over his head, taking a close up of the ring on his head where he crushed the can, and Zell waved it away, as if it was a fly. "Friggin' thing…" he muttered. Because of security issues concerning the surveillance unit, he couldn't even do any of his Instructor duties. And he had almost crushed it several times when it came to going out with Angel Lee…  
*          *            *

The man at the terminal yawned. "How come the kid gets to socialise whilst I have to watch him every second of the day?" He yawned once more. "This is such a dodgy job…"

"It's better then most jobs, Ferx. You've had it better then most of your colleagues."

Ferx turned slowly in his chair, looking up at his commanding officer. "Sorry sir…" he muttered.

"Although I do sympathise with you, Ferx. The subject isn't the most exciting specimen that we've had the pleasure to study…but then, you won't be monitoring him for much longer."

Ferx smiled slightly. "You can quote me on his sir; I, for one, will be relieved."

The commanding officer smiled. "We'll be contacting his superior tomorrow, to lift the embargo. Make sure that you're final report will be finished and ready to submit with all the other reports tomorrow."

"Yes sir."

The commanding officer turned and walked out of the room, the door closing quietly behind him with a 'shish'. The man at the desk resumed his vigilant watch on Zell Dincht, reassured that the Esthar people would contribute to his sacrifice.

*          *            *

(*) Read FF8 Chronicles – Zell's Day. He whoops ass, and gets a whooping himself.

_(**) Read FF8 Chronicles – Irvine's Day. Everything shall be explained – and all the gun fans will get a kick outta that fic!_


	2. Proposition

Ch 2 - Proposition

White fluff fell from the sky, setting on the ground like dust setting on a tabletop. The landscape was covered in snow, black rock peeking out from hilly build-ups, when the snow gets too heavy to support itself.

A Gaylar, it's many tentacles wafting in the morning breeze as it floated slowly above the permafrost, suddenly dived for the ice-covered earth as a gigantic object loomed above and over it, it's bulbous form creating a large, dark shadow over the fluffy white snow as it noiselessly passed over the panicking monster.

The shadow moved effortlessly away, and the Gaylar picked itself up shakily, like a rabbit who had just escaped a wolf. It levitated slowly into the air, and wobbled away, it's trembling knocking the snow off what would be considered it's head.

*          *          *

Xu turned as the elevator from the Headmasters Quarters whirred to life, moving down to accept whoever had had the clearance to call it.

When it returned, Commander Squall stood to attention. Dressed almost completely in black, a large hilt/gun butt for his Lion Heart clipped to his side, he looked more then formidable. When you looked into his cold blue eyes, framed by the long, thin scar which ran between them, he looked frightening.

If you ever tried to lock eyes with him, he looked terrifying.

Xu, however, had grown accustomed to the lifeless look long ago. She had grown to know that under the lonely attitude, the sterile voice, the hard stare, there was a man who simply, and in a rather clichéd kind of way, wanted to be accepted as who he was.

"Good morning, Xu." Squall said, his voice as cold as the landscape below. "What's our ETA?"

Xu turned to face her Commander, wiping a slick of short brown hair from her grey eyes. She nodded a greeting. "We'll arrive at Trabia Garden in exactly twelve hours, Commander – 20:00 hours, Garden time." Her answer was succinct and formal, her hands moving behind her back to clasp together, her feet moving to shoulder width.

Squall smiled, the action looking foreign on the usually neutral face. "Xu…I told you not to call me that."

"Sorry sir…I mean, Squall."

He nodded. "Thankyou." He walked off the elevator, moving to the main deck. Looking over all the controls, noting the pilot, he turned to Xu once more. "What's the Garden's Status?"

Xu gestured to a control panel, and they both moved to it. Xu took control, tapping the touch-screen with a manicured finger, a sidelong view of the Garden coming up ojn screen. With it's large fin splaying out the top, travelling down into an arch to the bottom, it looked like a big fish. A long, sharp spike stabbed out of the direct middle of the Garden, which almost touched the ground. It was the base for the Garden when it landed, like a dart sinking into a dartboard. The large, revolving, spiked halo spinning around the facility was also displayed on the screen.

Xu pointed to the schematic, certain areas glowing in a yellow light. "We gathered some damage to the halo on the last mountain range. Nothing we can't fix, but we did lose about seven percent of max speed and manoeuvrability."

The pilot raised his hands, his eyes not once wavering from the landscape before him. "My bad, sir! I didn't see it until the last minute."

The look Xu saw on Squalls face was the same one that she had gotten when the boy explained himself. _How do you miss a mountain range?_ "When was the last time you had some sleep, pilot?" Squall asked.

The pilot tried to stifle a yawn. "My relief was taken down whilst training yesterday. You're orders were to be at Trabia garden ASAP, so I've been going for a good…" he paused, frowning as his fatigued brain tried to figure out just how long he had been at the controls of the Garden.

"Thirty hours, Belnt." Xu prompted.

"Right…thankyou, Instructor." Belnt muttered, stifling another yawn.

Squall turned to Xu. "Make sure he gets relieved within the next hour." Xu nodded curtly at the order, and Squall frowned. "Anything else?"

Xu shrugged. Even after two full years after the discovery of the Garden's mobility, they still hadn't even found out what it ran on. One theory was that it ran off the Oilys, who lived in the giant oils pits, just below the Security Committee's quarters. The monsters secreted a substance ten times more potent then fuel, and were also used to launch Esthar pods into space. "The last expedition down to the fuel room noted that there were only three Oily's left…and they're all male. They all seem in good condition right now, but if we want to still be able to move in the Garden, we'll have to find out if we can borrow a female Oily from Trabia in order to get a breeding program going."

Squall nodded. "Ok…" He turned to go, stepping onto the elevator platform, before stopping and turning to Xu once more. "Xu, I just remembered. Meet up with Sefier, Quistis and me in the cafeteria at lunch time. We've got to discuss the proposition given to us by Esthar."

"Ok, Squall." Xu said, nodding.

And with that, Squall pressed the down stud with his foot, the elevator disappearing from view.

*          *          *

"No! Punch harder!"

_Smack!_

"A little more!!"

_Smack!!_

"Excellent!!" Zell yelled, jumping up from his seat and moving to his student. "did you see that manoeuvre? He ducked straight under the tentacle, coming up and right in front of the Grat's soft belly." He looked over his class as he put his arm around the student. "Speed and balance are the key factors when it comes to dodging and countering. If you move like a Tomberry, then there is no point in attacking! You're opponent will always try to take you down with as little fuss as possible – that conserves strength and stamina. Therefore, if you move quickly and go for a fast kill, you can also conserve energy."

He turned to the student. "You ready?"

Angel Lee nodded, taking her stance.

Zell smiled at his girlfriend, taking his own stance.

They had been going out for a year now, Angel being the only other thing on the Garden keeping him sane – besides training, of course. He had managed to track her down after her brief confrontation with him in the corridor, and somehow had made the relationship work. They were so different – Angel being smart and shy, Zell being brash and not bothering to think most things through. But that's what people said what was making them work.

Not only that, but Angel was quite the martial artist.

A flurry of blows flew at Zell's head, and he ducked and weaved past them effortlessly, all the while talking. "See what I mean? Angel has a good amount of speed and strength – whoa – and she really knows how to – whoops – apply them…hold on."

He slapped a fist aside and encircled her with his arms, drawing the girl close. They smiled at each other for a second, before Zell threw her in the air, tossing her over his head like a rag doll.

She flipped around in the air perfectly, landing on the balls of her feet expertly.

Zell cocked an eyebrow. "She landed, right?"

The class nodded. He snapped his fingers. "Bugger…"

Spinning around suddenly, his fist collided with her stomach, blowing the wind out of her, causing her to collide with the ground.

"Now, the interior attack of hers would have worked if she had moved a little faster – but she had decided to take her time, choosing to sneak up on me as opposed to simply running up and pinging me in the head – "

His words were cut off as she moved suddenly, flipping her slender legs around to take his out from under him. He landed on his back, the suddenness of the attack taking him by surprise. He heard a scuffle to his left, and rolled quickly, missing the knee to the head by a mere inch.

Rolling to his feet, he caught a fist that flew at him with precision, the attack smacking his palm before his fingers closed around it. Twisting Angel's arm around behind her, he came close to her back. "You ok?" he whispered quickly, as she struggled to break his grip.

She tried not to smile in front of his class. "Are you?"

"I'm a little shocked from that last stunt you pulled! Although, it did work rather well…"

"It sure did…" she muttered, finally breaking the grip by smashing the back of her head into his face, then spinning and flipping him over her shoulder. He landed on his back with a smile.

Flipping up quickly, he grasped her hand and put his other one around her shoulders once more. "Did you see that! Speed and precision, as well as a little improvisation, was all it took to take me down. And with that, I  say it's about time to let you guys go!"

Everybody stood from the dirt and began to wander off. Zell watched them go, his arm still lazily draped over Angel's shoulders – then when they were all gone, he turned and kissed her long and hard, shocking even himself as he went all out.

After a good minute of full kiss, he pulled back and let out a long breathe. "Wooo…I've been wanting to do that all day."

Angel blushed crimson and punched him lightly in the chest. "Zell…"

"Oh, come on Ang'." He said, smiling. He picked her up in his arms and placed her on his shoulder. "Zell want something. Zell get something."

Angel squealed happily, laughing at his tone of voice. "Very funny, tough guy, now put me down!" She beat his back with her fists playfully.

"What if Zell not want to?" Zell said, grinning like a maniac. "Zell English good, yes?"

Angel was now laughing outright, and she simply gave up trying to escape. "What do you want to do now, tough guy?" she said through a fit of giggles.

Zell, picking his way through some foliage, frowned as he seriously considered what they should do. "I am feeling hungry…lets go to the cafeteria."

"You're always hungry."

Zell nodded. "Yeah…most of the time…"

Giggling, he moved towards the exit. Angel looked over his head to see the big double doors moving closer. "Ok, Zell, you can put me down now." She said, her voice half serious, half joking.

Zell continued to giggle as moved through the doors, moving down the corridor to the doors to the main area.

"Zell! Put me down now!" Angel said seriously, beginning to actually struggle now, and Zell had to place her down.

"I was only joking hon…" he said as he saw the hurt expression on her face. She was a bit sensitive about the fact that he was an instructor, and she was just a lowly librarian. Zell couldn't give a rats, but for some reason other people didn't think much of a student going out with an instructor. Those kinds of people made Zell see red – but that was the way the world worked.

"I know, baby…" she said, moving close for a hug.

Zell smiled in her hair. Whenever he was around her, his mind went quiet, like a big pink cloud had settled on all the conflicting emotions within him. She had this calming effect on him…and he loved her for that. He pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her.

Smiling, he squeezed, cracking her spine.

"Ooo…" she murmered suddenly, before settling closer into him.

"Wow…you really needed that, huh?"

"Uh huh…" she said, sounding suddenly sleepy.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I need some grub before I pass out. So lets go."

*          *          *

Zell looked up from his hotdog to see Squall enter the cafeteria. Swallowing the potion in his mouth, he called out. "Squall! Get over here!!"

Squall saw Angel and him, and walked over. "Hi, guys. How are you doing?" He asked casually. He crossed his arms. "How's the training going, Zell?"

"Ah. It goes…" Zell said with a shrug. Squall had been neglected by Zell as much as the rest of his friends – but at least Squall didn't bitch about it. "I haven't seen you in a while. Take a seat."

Squall took the offered chair, sitting next to Angel. "Angel Lee, I presume?" He asked politely. "Nice to meet you." He shook her hand, before frowning. "So, how's it like going out with Zell?"

Angel looked into Zells eyes and smiled. "It's like someone cast Curaga over me again and again and again."

Squall smiled. "I see. Can't get enough, huh?" His smile widened a little more. "It's like that with me and Rinoa… so, how's the work in the Library going?"

"Very well, thank you. We still haven't been given approval for that budget raise we put forward about a month ago."

Squall crossed his arms. "Well, if I knew you were going to spend it on books instead of chocolates and midnight snacks, I'd talk to Headmaster Cid about it."

Zell and Angel laughed. Squall's humour, though shown rarely, was often on the button. "What's been happening lately with you, Squall?" Zell asked.

"You know…this and that…" Squall said, his smile wavering a little. "As a matter of fact, I was looking for you."

Zell's eyes widened. "Really? What for? A mission, or something?"

Squall squirmed in his seat a little. "Well…something like that…" He glanced over at Angel, who was tucking quietly into her T-Burger. Zell caught the glance and nodded subtly.

"Ah…Angel…can you scoot for a little bit? I think Squall and I have business to talk about…"

Angel smiled sweetly. "I understand. I may be a librarian, but I'm not stupid." She stood. "I'll get out of you're way."

"Nobody said you were stupid, baby." Zell said with a smile. "And thanks for this. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"We have training in the morning, so don't forget." Angel said, poking a finger in Zell's chest playfully, before looking at someone across the eating area. "Oh, there's Selphie! I'll see you later Zell. Nice seeing you, Commander Squall." She quickly pecked Zell on the cheek before running over to where Selphie was standing in line.

Zell watched her go, watching her as she said hi to Selphie. Selphie said something back, and they giggled together. "She certainly has come out of her shell." He heard Squall say quietly. "I remember when she gave us that Mega Phoenix when Galbadia attacked. She was so shy when she talked to you…" Zell looked over at Squall to see him shaking his head. "I have no idea you could have that kind of effect on her…that's just…" Zell's eyes widened, as Squall was lost for words.

"Dude…let off will ya? You're making me all misty…"

Squall laughed at the remark, a cross between a snort and a guffaw. Zell smiled at that, before becoming serious. "So, what's up?"

Squall leaned closer, a smile still on his face. "I've gather some information that…" he whispered, before hesitating. Looking up, he saw the surveillance bee hovering just a little above Zell's head. "Is that thing with you all the time?" he asked, distracted.

Zell craned his head up to see the bug, fluttering just out of reach. "Yeah. It's a real pain in the ass, especially when you're going to the toilet or trying to make out, or something like that." He reached a hand up to swat at it, but it simply flew out of reach. "I'd love to squash it…"

He was interrupted as the bug's wings stopped fluttering, and it dropped like a rock into Squall's outstretched hand. Zell looked down to see a small remote control in Squall's other hand, and watched as the bug and remote went into a coat pocket. "You could do that all this time – and you didn't tell me!?" Zell exclaimed slowly.

Squall shrugged. "It was a part of the bargain that the Board gave me. I would have control over the bug – as long as I only deactivated it when classified information was being relayed." He crossed his arms. "Besides, if I told you I had it, you most probably would have Mugged me to get it."

Zell nodded sagely. "True…but it's a little bit of a relieve for it to be gone!" He stretched his arms. "I feel more free already!!"

Squall gathered his attention. "Zell, listen. The thing I was going to tell you was that a tournament will be coming up in the next few months." He winked. "A martial arts tournament."

Zell cocked an eyebrow. "Really? International? Or just between Gardens?"

"No. International. All the different levels of fights will be held all over the world, in areas with differing conditions. There's even a rumour that there will be a fight held on a Garden."

Zell pumped his fist in the air. "Ohhh Yeeaaaah! I'm so there!!"

Squall motioned for him to keep his voice down. "Shhh! The point is, there is most probably an invitation coming out to you in the next few days."

Zell frowned, confused slightly. "Out to me? Why would they want me to fight?"

Squall rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on. Sorceress Hero Zell? With you're Duelling abilities, not to mention the Training Centre incident, a person would be stupid _not _to invite you." He ran his finger around Angel Lee's leftover glass. "The point is…there is reliable information that someone will try to…interfere with the tournament."

Zell raised an eyebrow once more. "_Interfere_? What kind of…interference?"

Squall looked up. "There's a rumour that a fighter will try to take out the President of Esthar." His eyes narrowed as he said the name of his father. "Laguna."

"Laguna…" Zell muttered. The President of Esthar was a good man, if not a little clueless when it came to his emotions. But, all in all, he ran Esthar fairly and justly, and had managed to keep them out of world affairs for at least a good twenty years – not only that, he had managed to help them flourish even more, what with their technological advancements hindered by Sorceress Adea. 

The fact that he was Squalls biological father had come to a shock to all the orphanage gang – even more to Squall. But, over the years, Squall had learned to accept it. After all, how could Laguna have known? His emotions, as well as the situation, had overwhelmed him, and by the time he realised that Raine had passed away, as well as Julia married to the Genreal Caraway…

He had simply buried himself in his work, not wanting to acknowledge the past. He had Ellone. He had managed to keep a tab on Squalls life, even straight through his time in Garden. He did not want to re-open old wounds.

"What do we know?" Zell asked.

Squall looked up from his finger rubbing the glass. "Well, for starters, they haven't contacted us…so it's not a mission. However, I'm going to give Laguna a call after we talk. Then you'll be guaranteed a mission."

Zell nodded in acceptance. Laguna may be a little proud, as well as clueless – but he wasn't actually stupid. And he knew how good SeeD was. Just Squall asking would be enough to get SeeD into the tournament on official business. "What else?" Zell prompted.

"We know that the fighter will be a Galbadian."

Zell nodded. Galbadia and Esthar weren't exactly known for their strong ties. "Anything else?"

"Nope. That's it."

Zell almost fell out of his chair. "What?! That's all you have? Whatever happened to you're reliable information?"

Squall shrugged. "Watts was cut off before he could give anything else. His last transmission was that he'd contact us soon…I've asked Seifer, Xu, Quistis and Headmaster Cid to meet here in the cafeteria. We'll wait until the crowd has thinned a bit, then contact Watts." He stood. "I'd better go call Laguna…fill him in on our details. Hang around here until the others arrive, and I'll debrief you on the situation a little better."

With that, he turned and walked away.

Zell slouched back in his chair, scratching his head a little. "Assasination…of Laguna? Why would someone want to do that?" He leaned back a little. "Oh, well. At least the bug is off my back."

*          *          *

Ferx tried the activation transmission once more, but his screen was still filled with static.

_Dammit__!_ He cursed in his head. _I got to report this…_

Reaching for his phone, the voice of his commander made him freeze. "Never mind, Ferx. I was here the whole time."

Ferx turned slowly in his chair. "You saw what happened?"

"Yes. Commander Squall deactivated the bee. It's all right. He's got authorisation. Besides, we were going to have to switch the bug off in a few days anyways. Let him have his privacy whilst he can enjoy it."

"What will happen now, sir?"

The commander shrugged. "We send the invitation to the tournament. As planned."

*          *          *

"Thank you for all coming…" Squall said, looking down the cafeteria table. The caferteria was completely deserted, with the exceptions of Zell, Sefier, Quistis, Headmaster Cid, and Laguna, who was being displayed by vid-phone. "The situation is pretty dire. I'm sure that we've all been briefed?"

Laguna scowled. "I sure as hell haven't been. What the hecks going on? Do you know what time it is over here, son?" He rubbed his eyes, which were a little red and puffy.

"I'm sorry, Laguna, but it couldn't be helped." Squall said, unfazed by the fact that Laguna called him 'son'. "We have reason to believe that you're life is in jeopardy."

Laguna stopped rubbing his eyes and looked at the screen. "Bummer."

Cid frowned. "What kind of jeopardy?"

"Someone will try to assassinate Laguna in the upcoming world Martial Arts Tournament." Squall stated.

"Our informant in the Galbadian army, Watts from the Timber Owls, confirmed the information." Seifer said, leaning back in his chair and resting his legs on the table. His white coat draped over the chair, and a black tee sat under that. His Hyperion sat in it's sheath. "We're waiting on more information as we speak." His voice was like ice serrating over a rusty cheese grater.

"How do we know that his information is reliable?" Quistis asked. "He's been in the army how long? Two years? And he's risen in the ranks not once."

"Soldiers talk…" Laguna said suddenly. "I remember when I was in the Galbadian army. Lots of old wives tales were tossed about in the cold of night. Some were full of it…but most were real." He frowned. "I remember when they first began to talk about the XATMOTOS attack bot…about how it was unstoppable." He shook his head. "I've saw them in battle in the next few months. They were almost impervious…even to GFs…" He shook his head. "Sorry, I'm rambling…the point is, just because he hasn't gone anywhere in the army doesn't mean he doesn't have friends or sources in high places. People have them all the time."

"I haven't heard of this Martial Arts Tournament." Cid said, crossing his arms. "Explain it to me."

Seifer looked up at Squall, who nodded. Seifer turned to Cid. "It's basically a big fighting tournament, with each progression held in a different area in the world. Magic is allowed, since the fighters will be chosen from the strongest and the best. Basically, anybody can join, but some people will be asked to sponser a certain company or country…which is where Dincht comes into it."

Seifer flicked a thumb in Zell's direction. "We're going to ask Dincht to enter the tournament…and be sponored by Esthar."

Laguna raised a hand. "Hang on there, dude. Why would I want to sponsor him? No offense or anything, Zell…I know you're strong, but a tournament with all the strongest fighters in the world? How long will he hold out?"

Zell remained silent.

Seifer placed a hand on the table. "Think about it. A SeeD in the world tournament, sponsored by Esthar? Not only will this help you're country come out of it's loner funk, it would also help us ferret out the assassin…because he will most probably try to take out Dincht first." He leaned back and crossed his arms. "And as much as I hate to say it…but that would be the best option. At least then we'd know who the assassin is…and Dincht would most probably take the bastard out…as much as he is a loser, he is good at what he does…"

The rest of the SeeD group collectively raised an eyebrow. _What that a compliment from Seifer to Zell?_ Squall squashed the surprise deftly. "The point is, Laguna, is that Garden, as well as the rest of the world, would contribute a little more with you alive then with you dead. Which is why we are offering our services to you."

Laguna sat back away from the vid-screen, his face blank with thought.

Cid rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

Quistis frowned, thinking herself.

Seifer leaned back in his chair, and wished he was somewhere more cool.

Squall sat back, waiting for a response…

And Zell looked down at the winking light on the separate vid-screen, as an incoming transmission began to come through.


	3. Recon And Refusal

Ch 3 – Reconnaissance and Refusal

Zell tapped the activation node on the vid-screen, and the hazy view of Watts filled the screen, Laguna's face shrinking into a corner of the screen. Always a bit on the large side, Watts seemed to fit the bill as a Galbadian Soldier nicely. He had his share of battle scars, and he knew the soldier's lingo. The only things that gave him away were his manners and his eyes.

Brought up by a strict single father – before he was blown away right in front of Watt's young eyes – he was always told to be polite to others. And, true to his father's teachings, he was always polite to the tee. The fact that Galbadian soldiers, though not the dregs of society, weren't known for their manners, wasn't overlooked sometimes, and had caused Watts to have some hair-raising experiences.

The other thing about him was his eyes. They were soft and innocent – like a child's. Not cold and hard, like a seasoned soldiers' were. A true soldier could spot a faker or weakling if he looked the soldier straight in the eyes and looked for the raped innocence cowering behind the retinas. Zell couldn't tell how Watts was able to pull that one off. Maybe he was tougher then he showed?

"Good afternoon, gentlemen. Ma'am." Watts said, his voice garbled over the long distance feed, beamed directly from a hidden transmitter to an Esthar satellite, and rebounded back to the Garden. "How is everybody today?"

Squall couldn't help but smile. "We're all fine, Watts. How's the recon going?" he asked as Xu walked in and took a seat behind Zell, blushing and smiling apologetically at everybody.

Watts looked down at something, and Zell could hear the ruffling of notes as Watts began to rattle off information, all of which was being recorded by the vid-screen.  In all actuality, they didn't even have to be here. They could just let Watts know when to contact the recorder and ask him to rely the information and wait for a response – but one of his requests before accepting the mission was that he was given almost constant human contact with the outside world.

Squall couldn't deny it, even if it meant compromising the entire mission. Watts was behind enemy lines, going through daily tortures to get them the information. It was the _least_ the SeeDs could do.

Everybody began to look a little bored as Watts went through the last month's recon list, and Zell was about to nod off when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Tilting his head back, he saw Xu, looking a little confused. "What's up?" He asked.

"Uh…" Xu said, before shrugging. "I have no idea what's going on. Wanna fill me in?"

Zell shrugged himself. "Galbadians wanna assassinate Laguna. Why, we dunno. How, we dunno. All we know is that a contestant in a martial arts tournament, a Galbadian contestant, will do the job. We're waiting for Watts to shut up and tell us something useful."

A blank look filled Xu's face. "Oh." She sat back, looking even more confused then she had when she asked the question.

Suddenly, a large thump rang out over the cafeteria, emitted by Seifer's fist smashing into the table. "Dammit, man, just tell us what we need to know!! We don't need to know the lunch detail for every soldier!!" His voice sounded more agitated then average, and Watts looked very cowed.

Zell watched as Squall's gaze drilled a neat hole through Seifer's stare, and turned apologetically to the vid-screen. "Watts…I'm sure you're information is relevant in some way, but right now we need to know about the martial arts tournament."

"Sorry, sir…" Watts mumbled, putting away something below screen and picking up something else. "We'll, it wasn't easy to get this info, sir. They've kept this thing closed tighter then a drum, sir."

Suddenly a map of the world sprang onto the screen. Watt's voice rang out clear as he relayed information. "The tournament will begin in exactly one month, sir, but what will be unique about this tournament will be that it's a _world_ tournament." Different areas in the world map suddenly lit up, like lights on a Christmas tree, numbers coming up where the lights flashed, five in all. "See, sir?"

Squall looked over the map. "Hmmm…one in Centra…one in Esthar…one in Galbadia…one in Trabia…" He paused  "A battle on each continent…but there are five numbers." He looked over the map once more. "Where's the fifth area?"

The map came down, showing Watt's embarrassed face. "Well…I don't know, sir. This information is very highly classified. I'm amazed I got this far."

Seifer snorted. "Great spy you are…" He growled to himself, loud enough for everybody to hear as he leaned back in his chair, Watts included.

Watts looked insulted. "You try coming down here, and going through the things I do for you're facility, sir! The only reason I'm doing this is for Rinoa, sir! And if you can't accept what I have to offer, then…" He paused, try to catch his breath and regain some composure.

Squall interrupted quickly. "He didn't mean it, did he?" he said roughly, his stare icy cold as it fixed on Seifer. Seifer took the stare in and smirked, but didn't follow through with a retort. Squall turned back to Watts." Go on, Watts. What else?"

Watts looked a little better as he continued. "The…the tournament will be an all out fight, sir. People from around the world will want to enter when word gets out, and believe me, the word will get out. Galbadia is planning another global telecast, but this time to advertise the tournament, sir. Basically, it's a world-wide tourism attraction, bringing people around the world as they follow the fighter's progress."

Laguna perked up. "Hang on. Did you say that there will be a battle held in Esthar?"  
Watts nodded. "Yes, Mr. President. Not in the city, exactly, but in the barren, rocky area to the north. It'll be perfect for a fight, sir. Nothing but rocky ground for mile and miles."

_And not a soul to be hurt if things get out of hand…_ Zell thought. "What are the rules for the tournament, Watts?" He asked out loud, in a quiet voice.

Watts looked down at his notes. "It seems to be 'anything goes', depending on the location, sir. In Esthar, for instance, magic and GF's may be used…whilst on Galbadia, only physical attacks are allowed. Also, it's determined on the battle area. In the rocky ground on Centra, anything goes. But for Galbadia, the fighters will battle in a ring." A picture of a square fighting ring appeared on-screen. 

"The rules for this arena are simple, sir. Anything goes, including magic and dirty fighting, but no GFs. If a fighter land out of the ring, he loses. If he dies, he loses. If he is defeated, he loses."  A picture of a desert replaced the picture of the ring. "In the open-area arenas, anything goes, GFs, magic, anything.  The battle only stops when a person either leaves the area, or when one of the opponents is defeated."

"What about rules on magic usage?" Cid asked.

"Any GF is permittable, accounting that it is used on the opponents and not anybody else, and only in designated arenas. Any magic is allowed except for magic that can completely destroy an opponent, like Ultima, or Flare. Junctioning is allowed, as well as Drawing. White magic can be used as well, as well as Status."

"Who will be judging the fights?" Quistis asked.

"A panel of judges from all corners of Gaia will be asked to judge, fairly of course. I wasn't able to gather any names for the judges, unfortunately, but just the fact that there will be an Esthar judge, a Galbadian judge, a Centra judge, and a Trabia judge. Also, there will be a fifth, but there was no information on him or her."

Laguna rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I don't get why the Galbadians are guarding this fifth faction so secretively. When the tournament begins, the people will find out anyways, wont they? What's the big deal?"

Watts remained silent.

Zell shrugged. "It doesn't really matter. All I need to do is get signed up, slap around a few amateurs, and figure out who wants to whack you, right? Piece of cake!"

Watts cleared his throat. "It's not going to be that easy, sir."

Zell cocked an eyebrow. "What 'choo talking 'bout?"

"Some of the fighters look pretty hard, sir, even for you. I mean, I know you went up against the Sorceress and all, but…these guys look pretty tough." 

Watts looked a little scared as he explained the gruelling tasks and training techniques that the Galbadian fighters went through. Every point put up by Watts made at least one person present grimace at one time or another, especially when he explained when the trainer threw them in a pit filled with Behemoths and gave them ten minutes to get out alive. "To put it bluntly, sir, you may have the experience…but they have the training. These guys have done nothing but train almost constantly for the past two years! And they're itching for battle, sir."

Squall shrugged. "They may have…but you don't know what Zell's capable of."

"Can he take on a Red Dragon all by himself?"

Everybody's eyes turned to Zell, and he squirmed in his chair, not wanting to brag. "…OK, I took _one _it down…but it was a _really_ long battle and the result _wasn't_ pleasant." He could still remember the laborious wait for the casts to come off his legs…

"Well…sir…these guys have killed three Red Dragons each. _At the same time!_ They went into a nest to train!! The rumour being that they went in and came out two hours later, and had cleaned out the entire nest!!!"

Zell blanched. "Oh, crap…"

Cid smiled. "We all know that Zell could do that easily now, right. I mean, you've been training all day, every day, for the past year!"

Zell scratched the back of his neck. "Well, yes…but one Red Dragon was tough enough! Taking on three? I don't think so!"

Squall batted the topic aside with the wave of a hand. "Whatever. What we really need to know is the when and where of the assassination attempt."

Watts looked a little embarrassed. "Well…sir…I wasn't able to find much out about who and how, or even why…"

Seifer snorted and shook his head.

"…But I was able to find out when and where." Watts finished.

The entire group looked up as one. "Really?" Seifer choked, shocked that the podgy spy had found out something relevant, before retaining his brooding mood.

"Yes, sir. The attack will be held at Esthar, at precisely midnight on the second night of the Esthar bouts. The assassin will have to breach security in the Presidential Suite, and kill the President there. If the President isn't there, or he is guarded, then the assassin will have to improvise. And if that happens, sir, then anything could happen."

The group fell silent, each person lost in thought. Zell leaned back in his chair, the prospect of a fighter better then him more exciting then frightening. _I wonder if he…or she?…will use different techniques then me? I wonder how much better then I am he or she will be? Oh well…it's like Ma always said;' There's always someone out there better then you.'_

Watts suddenly looked to his left, alarm raised in his eyes. "Oh no! Someone's coming!" He looked at Squall with fear mixed with duty in his eyes. "I'll contact you later on, when I have more information, sir." And with that he disconnected abruptly, the screen filling with static, white noise coming from the speakers situated around the table.

Squall slowly pressed a button, allowing Laguna's view to fill the screen once more. Laguna seemed to be thinking, his hand rubbing his chin, a serious expression etched into his features. Squall cleared his throat. "Well…that's about it, Laguna…the only thing left is…you're agreement to assign SeeD to the mission."

"It would be wise, Mr. President…" Cid said, his expression serious. "I have no doubt that you're soldiers would be capable against a full scale attack on Esthar…but a single assassin can get places and do things that an army cannot. A small SeeD team is all that would be required…one for reconnaissance in the actual tournament – Zell – and two others for backup. They are excellently trained in counter-terrorism, and…"

Laguna cut Cid off, his voice deadly serious for once. "I don't doubt SeeD's capabilities, Headmaster Cid…and I'm sure that Zell and the rest of the team would do all they could to protect me, to the point of risking their lives for me…" He hesitated. "…But I'm not sure that I want SeeD interfering."

Squall's face was filled with confusion and shock. "Laguna…you can't be serious! Even if you surrounded yourself with Esthar guard's twenty-four-seven, the Galbadian would still cut through them like a scythe through wheat! You heard Watts! _Three Red Dragons at a time!_ This assassin would have more power then all you're guards put together!" He smashed his fist into the table in anger. "You can't be serious about this!"

Laguna and everybody on the table simply stared with shock as Squall released a wave of emotion, before Laguna cleared his throat nervously. "Look…Squall…I think I know what I'm doing…"

"No, Laguna, I don't think you do!!"

Laguna's face became serious. "Don't forget who you're talking to, Squall. I'm the President of Esthar, the most advanced nation of the face of Gaia. We have security measures that would stop the most able assassin in his tracks. We have guards. We have cameras. We have booby traps. We have lock down mechanisms. We have counter offensive drills." He leaned a little closer to the screen. "Believe me when I say that I'm safe."

Squall squeezed his eyes shut, and gritted his teeth. "No, father! You wont be!" He shouted. The words shocked even him, his emotions finally allowing him to acknowledge Laguna's status as Squall's father.

Laguna looked shell shocked. Leaning back in his chair, his expression went from deadly serious to an even smile. "I'm…grateful for you're concern, son. But…I don't think you have anything to worry about." He shrugged, then sighed. "I'll…I'll call you later on. Quistis, Cid, Seifer,. Zell, Xu…thankyou for you're time, but to put it bluntly…I'm just not interested."

With that, he reached over to something out of the screens view, and cut transmission.

Squall stared at the screen, an Zell could swear he saw tears – before he turned and stalked out of the cafeteria, pushing the doors open with such force that they smashed against the walls and swung ferociously.

Quistis stood slowly – before Seifer spoke up. "Don't." He said simply.

Quistis looked down at him. He still leant back on his chair, his arms behind his head, completely relaxed. "Don't what? Console a friend in his time of need?"

"Exactly."

Quistis looked down at Seifer with barely concealed rage – before a hand was laid on her shoulder. Cid pushed her gently into her chair, and stood. "Laguna was given a choice, and refused. We cannot go against his wishes." He smiled. "However, we can go around them." He looked down at his former pupils. "Please, clear away the equipment before the students come in for dinner. Do not mention this conference to anybody. I'm sure that Squall will…handle himself in time." He sighed. "He always does."

With that, he walked evenly out of the Cafeteria. Zell looked at the remaining group. Seifer stood and walked out, hands in pockets, face unreadable. Quistis and Xu began to pack up the equipment, Quistis's hands trembling with anger as she slammed this and that into it's casings. Xu remained silent, quiet as she helped Quistis.

Zell stood slowly, scratching the back of his neck. "You…you guys seem to have everything in order here…" He cocked his thumb over his shoulder. "I'll…I'll just…you know…" When he received nothing but a hair raising glare from Quistis, he placed his hands in his pockets and walked out.

*          *          *

Zell strolled through the Training Centre, hands firmly planted in his pockets, eyes to the grassy ground, his mind mixed with a jumble of emotions. He was still slightly shocked at the show of emotion that Squall had displayed. _Of course. Who wouldn't act that way when they knew their father was in danger?_ Zell knew that he would have acted that very same way…if his Pa was still alive…

The roar of a T-Rexaur echoed around the Training Centre, but Zell didn't raise his gaze from the ground. He did, however, when he heard a battle cry that sounded very familiar.

_"Renzokuken!!!"_

Zell bolted for the sound, the sounds of a blade cleaving armoured flesh and the echoing gunshots blasting the blade out of the wound rebounding in his ears. Gunpowder filled his nostrils, and he took a quick dive through some bushes to see Squall, his face filled with rage, facing off a T-Rexaur, all by himself.

His gun blade hacked and slashed at the dinosaur, the blade sticking deep in the wound – before Squall pulled the trigger, the kick from the blast pulling the blade from the cavity. Squall's LionHeart glowed with blue as the laser-blade slashed through the air once more, slicing a hunk of dinosaur-meat from the belly of the beast.

The Renzokuken attack finally over, Squall jumped back, electricity lacing over his body as he charged for his finishing move. Zell had an inkling on what it would be.

_"Lion Heart!!!" _Squall screamed, bolting towards the giant monster once more. Scraping the blade across the ground, the tip actually making a furrow as it slashed through earth, Squall smacked the monster up into the air. Launching after it, Squall suddenly became a dicing machine, his gunblade echoing as shot after shot rang out, the laser-blade making the air around the battle hazy with blue light. After delivering the barrage of blows, Squall finally landed on solid earth.

The air around him became filled with blood, and a rain of small, diced meat fell effortlessly to the ground. His black coat became soaked with blood, his hair matted with it, the white collar becoming a spattered red.

He stood very still, his chest heaving, his gun-blade humming as energy crackled through the blade. Zell couldn't see his face, and he walked slowly forward. "S…Squall?" He asked hesitantly. "Are…are you ok?"

Squall didn't face Zell. "Am I ok?" He said way too calmly, before whirling around suddenly. "_DO I LOOK OK?!"_ He screamed, launching himself at Zell, his LionHeart blazing as it cut the atmosphere in two.

Zell dodged the attack easily, horrified at the state that his friend was in. He was drenched in blood, his eyes wild. Squall's trajectory made him fly past the dodging Zell, but as soon as his feet touched ground he was at Zell again, his gun-blade whirling and slashing.

Zell dodged as best as he could, strafing to the left, back flipping as the blade passed near his legs, ducking as the blue blade sheared through the air above him. Seizing an opportunity, he stepped in close under the blazing blade and smashing a fist into Squall's guts. Squall gasped as the air was blown out of him – but recovered quickly, retaliating by head butting Zell square in the face, knocking the fighter back.

Zell recovered even faster, slapping the blade to the side as it swung down at his head and brutally kicking Squall in the chest, launching his friend back, Squall's feet skidding in the dirt as he tried to regain balance. "What are you doing?!" Zell yelled. "I'm you're friend!!"

Squall didn't hear him. He simply launched himself at Zell once more, his tactic changing. Moving towards Zell faster then before he didn't swing the blade – he simply pointed it at him, like a lancer on a horse.

Zell's eyes widen, and flipped to the side as Squall pulled the trigger, Pulse Ammo smashing through trees and demolishing bushes and dirt as his aim varied, Zell's jumps and flips too fast for Squall to fire at fast enough.

He finally clicked on empty, and ran forward once more, right into Zell's fist. Squall fell to the ground, then flung his feet out, catching Zell's legs and tripping him to the ground. Squall was all over the martial artist in an instant, the gun-blade expert stabbing the blade at Zell's throat – 

 - When Zell caught the blade with both hands, his palms slamming against the shimmering blade, stopping it in it's tracks. Smoke began to emit from Zell's Energiz gloves, and he gritted his teeth as the pain began to make his hands burn.

"Squall!" He yelled. "It's me! Zell! You're friend!" His hands began to bleed, thick trails running down his arms as the blade began to slip through his grip. Squall's blood-covered features registered Zell's voice but the pressure remained on the gun-blade, Squall's breaths coming out in short gasps as he panted for air, trying to find strength to get past the vice-like grip on his sword.

"Squall!!" Zell screamed. "It doesn't have to end up like this! We can work something out! Seriously!" His hands were almost completely numb now, the blood making the blade slip further down. It was almost at Zell's neck. "Squall!!" Zell screamed. "I don't want to hurt you!!"

Squall screamed, pushing down on the blade with all his might and weight. Zell gritted his teeth even more as the energy coursing through Squall lanced through the gun-blade, growling as the power laced through his body – then screaming himself as he yanked the blade to the side, _breaking the blade's tip off!!_

Kicking Squall off him, Zell flipped up. Squall looked down at his broken gun-blade and threw it to the side, the now-useless weapon clattering to the ground uselessly. He raised his hands suddenly, smashing the palms together, his hands glowing hotly as a Fire elemental began to form – to be stopped by Zell, who moved forward and halted the magic in it's tracks, pulling Squall's hands away from each other and smashing his head into Squall's face, forcing Squall to his knees.

Letting go of Squall's hands, Zell staggered back, looking down at his hands. They were a mess.

Squall stood on trembling legs and staggered over to Zell, exhausted. He began to beat his fists on Zell's chest, the attack not even doing any damage, Squall's face melting from rage to defeat. His futile attacks slowed, until it stopped, and Squall sank to his knees, sobbing.

"I…I'm sorry, Zell…" He paused to take a breath. "I really am…it's just that…" He sat up. "I don't now why…why didn't…" His hands went to his blood stained head. "Shit! Why wouldn't he accept…my help?!" His hand moved to his eyes, and he hiccuped.

Zell sat down next to his friend and looked down at his hands. He curled his fingers into the palms and felt the white magic flow through the damaged areas, and when he opened them, the hands were almost completely healed. He looked over at Squall, and sighed, placing a hand on the shoulder of his friend and comrade. "I dunno, man…it's just the way life is…"

Squall looked over at Zell, tears cutting channels through the blood caked on his cheeks. "But _why!!_" He screamed. "He's my _father_!! He's supposed to _listen_!!"

Zell shook his head and kneeled next to Squall as he curled his legs up to his chest, wrapping his arms around his knees and burying his face into his arms. Zell sighed and shook his head again as he saw what Squall had been reduced to; dealing with emotions that he never needed to deal with before. _Hyne…you're a wreak._ Zell thought. 

Zell knew that his words wouldn't help, so he simply sat next to him, putting an arm around to comfort him.

*          *          *

Zell knocked on the door of the Headmaster's quarters, and craned his head around it as he opened it. "You wanted to see me, sir?" he asked

Cid looked up from paper work and nodded, smiling and standing. "Yes, Zell, of course! I almost forgot." He walked over to the door, opening it fully and guiding the warrior to sit in a chair. He stood beside Zell and placed a hand on his shoulder, looking down at him. "Now…I know what happened with Squall might have been…a little distressing…"

"Distressing, hell! It damn freaked me out!!"

"…Yes, well, you must know that he still needs to come to terms with the fact that Laguna is his father…" Cid moved around the desk and sat down, placing his elbows on the desk and resting his head on his fists. "He's dealing with emotions that he has never faced before…he has learned, over the years of self-dependence and social shielding, that revealing emotions, of any kind it seems, is a weakness." His features were sympathetic. "Believe me, he would be more 'freaked out', as you so eloquently put it, as you were."

Zell crossed his arms. "I know all that. I understand completely, sir. After all, I'm the first real friend he's ever made. We were even buddies at the orphanage…and I've lost my Pa…" He looked down at his shoes. "I understand completely."

Cid leaned back, nodding sagely. They sat in silence for a second, the action of yesterday sinking in once more. After Zell escorted Squall to his room, he had gone to report the encounter to Cid, who had immediately gone to see Squall, calling for Dr. Kadowaki as well. What had gone on whilst they talked in Squalls room was a mystery to everybody except to Squall, Dr. Kadowaki and Headmaster Cid, but word had gotten out that Squall had snapped and attacked Zell. He hadn't gone to his Gun-blade teachings today, or had been doing any Commander work. The only person he allowed inside his room was Rinoa, and she was, amazingly, keeping tight-lipped.

"So…when are we allowed leave to Trabia, sir?" Zell asked awkwardly, feeling increasingly uncomfortable in the growing silence.

"Leave has been suspended until we figure out some more details." Cid said quietly with an easy smile. "You know the procedure. We need to make sure the Garden is repaired and able to travel before we allow leave."

Zell nodded. "If Squall was running the show, we would have been down there by now…" he muttered, before clapping a hand over his mouth, shocked he had said it out loud.

Cid's smile grew a little larger. "Missing him already, huh?" He asked.

Zell pushed the shock aside uneasily and shrugged. "I'm concerned about him, sir. He took Laguna's refusal really badly…" He shrugged again. "I just wanna know what I can do to help. Is that too much to ask?"

Cid's smile faltered a little. "Sometimes, Zell, you must let people heal by themselves." He waved a hand. "Besides, I'm pretty sure he has Rinoa's shoulder to cry on. They will be able to figure themselves out."

Zell stood suddenly. "I want to know what we're going to do about the Laguna situation, sir." His voice was serious. "You said at the end of the meeting that there was a way around his request. What do you have in mind?"

Cid laughed out loud, a belly chuckle that guffawed loudly. He shook his head and grinned. "You know, you are always described as not being very bright – but you are quite sharp. I can tell!" He leaned forward conspiringly, his grin growing larger. "If you wish to really know, you'll have to talk to Squall about it. I suggested an idea to him which he thinks might work."

Zell nodded. "So you're allowing me to see him, sir?"

Cid's smile grew even larger, countering the question with one of his own. "Did I ever tell you you weren't allowed?"

Zell smiled now, saluting his Headmaster before turning on a heel and running out the door.


	4. Confrontations

Ch 4 - Confrontation

Zell wandered the halls of the Dorms, mulling over what Headmaster Cid had told the group after Laguna refused to assign SeeD to bodyguard him. 

_"Laguna was given a choice, and refused. We cannot go against his wishes." He smiled. "However, we can go around them."_

Zell had an inkling on what he meant. _Of course. Simply join the tournament anyways and ferret the assassin out without Laguna knowing._ Zell shrugged mentally. Of course, he wouldn't be getting paid for it…but he'd feel a little better knowing that he would be helping to stop the murder of his best friend's father.

Turning a corner to move into the Instructor and Commander quater of the Dorms, he was slightly surprised to see a couple of cadets standing secretively outside Squall's door. One boy had his ear to the door, whilst a girl bent over him.

"Well?" She asked. "Hear anything?"

"No…" the boy replied. "There are two people, but…"

_"What the hell is going on here!!"_ Zell boomed, making the two cadets jump.

They quickly swivelled to see who it was, and snapped to attention. "N…nothing, Instructor!" The boy stated, saluting crisply.

Zell planted his hands on his hips and got right into the boy's face. "Is that right, cadet? Since when is tormenting a friend of mine considered 'nothing', huh!?" He looked over at the girl, who was trembling slightly. "And what's you're problem, missy? Haven't got any more rumours to pass around?"

He grabbed their shirtfronts and pulled them close, his voice going from loud orders to a low growl. "If I see either of you around here ever again…" He smirked. "…Well, lets say I wont give you to the Disciplinary committee immediately." He placed them on the ground and jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "Now make like a tree and bugger off."

The two cadets scurried away, and Zell heaved a sigh. He didn't like being the bad guy – bullying was something he despised the most – but he had felt so angry that a couple of punk cadets were trying to invade on his friends privacy.

Moving forward, he knocked on the door gently with a knuckle. "Yo. Anybody in?" he asked, loud enough for anybody inside to hear.

He heard a scuffling, and then the door opened, Rinoa peering out. Relief merged on her tired yet still beautiful face. "Oh, Zell! Thank Hyne!" she exclaimed, opening the door fully and hugging him.

Zell took and uneasy step back, unsure what was going on. "Uh…is something wrong, Rinoa?" he asked prying her arms from his neck. She was always very emotional – hugging her friends at the drop of a hat, laughing just as easily. Her face now, however, was saddened beyond belief.

"I…I don't know what's wrong with him…" she murmured, closed to tears. "He's…he's a wreak. He hasn't slept, hasn't eaten…I know it's just a day, but you know how regimented he is…he hasn't even bothered to change his clothes from yesterday!"

"Don't worry about it, Rinoa." Zell said sympathetically. "Why don't you go and rustle us up some grub, and I'll talk to him a little."

She sniffed and forced a smile. "O…ok…but good luck. He's barely said a word to anybody but me since yesterday, and even then he's been pretty clammed up to me." He lowered her gaze to her shoes. "I just hope you can get him talking…"

Zell grinned. "I'll see what I can do…but I'm not making any promises!"

She giggled and moved past him. "Hotdogs, right?" They were everybody's favourite in the Garden, but Zell loved them more then anybody. Somehow the love had been passed to Squall as well, and the delicacy had become his favourite food too.

Zell's grin grew a little wider. "Yeah, if you can find some!"

She waved him goodbye and began to walk away, her eyes set on the horizon. Zell nodded. _This must have been quite a blow to her too, seeing Squall acting like this. She'll feel better as she focuses on something else._

Turning to the room, he walked inside and closed the door, activating the security palm. Only Squall and Rinoa could open the palm lock. Zell would have complete privacy until Rinoa came back.

Squall was lying on his bed, his back turned to the door. Zell could see that he hadn't even bothered to take off his coat, the white collar speckled with dinosaur blood standing out in the dim light. Someone had drawn the blinds, plunging the room into twilight. Zell walked over to the bed and looked down at his friend, craning his body over to see his face.

He could see Squall's face, still stained with the monster's blood. His grey eyes were blank, his sight fixed on the wall. His hands were supporting his head, his legs limply stretched out on the bed.

Zell scratched the back of his neck. _What should I say?' How you been?' 'What are doing tonight?' Or should I just ask him straight out what Cid and him talked about?_

Silence reigned in the room, and Zell began to feel uncomfortable. Turning to the Desk, he sat down on the chair and crossed his legs, crossing his arms as well, waiting…for what? He didn't really know.

After what seemed like an age, Squall sighed, the first sign of life Zell had seen since he had deposited him on the bed the other day. "Do you know what it feels like…to know that you're father will die unless you do something about it?" He rolled over to look at Zell with those dead eyes. "And he refused to accept you're help?" His voice was infinitely distant.

Zell sat still, frowning slightly. "I…I have to say that I don't know, man. It must be pretty…screwed up, huh?"

"Yeah…" Squall murmured, before rolling over once more.

Zell frowned again. He sighed. He began to pick on a loose bit of rubber on the sole of his sneaker. He chewed on his lower lip. He cleared his throat. He scratched the back of his neck.

Squall sighed again. "What are you doing here?"

Zell shrugged. "Waiting for a hotdog." He said simply. He couldn't see Squall's face, but he knew that he was smiling.

"You've got a one track mind, Zell…" Squall whispered. "I wish that my life could be as simple as yours."

Zell shrugged again. "My life isn't all that simple. I have training almost everyday…instructor duties…missions…not to mention that fact that Selphie suckered me into the Garden Festival Committee. Aiyaa, I have no idea how she got me to do that…" He scrubbed the back of his neck. "The fact is, my life is simply made of regime. Doing things at set times, doing them to the best of you're ability, and if you screw up, you realise you're mistake and move on."

"…Realise you're mistake…" Squall echoed.

"Yeah, man." Zell continued. "I try not to let anything get to me. Otherwise you become a stressed out wreak, like…" He hesitated. "…Like you. Or Quis, but that's different."

Squall didn't say anything for a minute. "That's another thing I like about you, Zell. You tell it as it is. You don't beat about the bush with meaningless chit-chat."

Zell smirked. "Oh, I do that. I just try to keep it to a minimum."

Squall snorted at that, a small chuckle emitting from the belly, before rolling over once more. "Then, Mr. Know-It-All-Zell…what should we do?"

Zell leaned forward. "I'm entering this tournament, whether Laguna want's me to or not…and I'm going to be there to save him when his words bit him on the ass."

The dead look faded from Squall's eyes, being replaced by something else. Determination. "Excellent." He swung his legs over the side of the bed and took off his coat, looking down at it. "Hyne…" He muttered. "What have I been doing to myself?"

"Beating yourself up." Zell said quietly. "Everybody does it once and a while, man. You just had a bad bout of the depressions."

Squall shook his head, his sad expression giving way to his usual stoic one. "I need a shower."

Zell stood up. "Don't let me keep you." He moved to the door. "I'll just wait for Rinoa outside, ok?"

Squall began to take off his shirt. "Whatever."

Zell grinned as he opened the door, closing it behind him and leaning his back against it. _Well…it seems that you aren't as much of a screw up as people think you are, Zell Dincht._ He thought to himself. _You just got a person who had an overload of emotions suddenly become neutral again. Oh well. At least you didn't make the situation worse…yet._

"How's he going?" Rinoa asked, walking up to the door with a plate of hotdogs in one hand and a tray of sodas in the other.

"He's still moping…" Zell lied perfectly. "Let me take those off you're hands and you can go have another try."

"Oh…ok…" she said, her expectant face giving way to sadness once more. She passed the tray and plate to Zell, who allowed her to open the door. She was halfway through when she jumped. "Squall!?" she exclaimed.

"Rinoa!!" Zell heard Squall exclaim himself, before Zell nudged her in with an elbow, giggling, and shutting the door.

Sitting down beside the door, he began to tuck into the hotdogs, liberally drinking the sodas as well as happiness glowed from the crack between the doorframe and the door.

*          *            *

Zell walked into the classroom early, wanting to get ready before the cadets began to file in. He looked over at his station to see Angel sitting on the Instructor Desk, tapping some keys. "And what are you doing, little girl?" Zell asked in his sternest voice.

Angel jumped off the Desk, standing to attention and saluting sharply. "Reading you're personal mail, sir!" She looked at him with a twinkle in her eye. "Am I going to be punished, sir?"

Zell walked past her, his stern expression melting into a grin. "I'll have to think of something suitable for something so heinous…" Sitting down at the Desk, he tapped a few more keys, bringing his mail back to the New section.

Angel sat on the Desk next to the terminal, waving her legs under the desk. "I didn't get to see much. Just some advertisements and things." She watched as his amused expression went to a serious one. "What? Did I do something wrong, hon?"

Zell's eyes narrowed as he saw the marking on the address. __

_World Martial Arts Tournament._

It had only been a two days since Squall had began to come back out of his newly formed shell, but Zell hadn't expected an invitation to the tournament so soon. _When did Squall say it was to begin? A month? _He opened the letter with a shaky click of the mouse, the box springing up on the screen.

The letter had the insignia of Galbadia in the corners, and looked like it had been handwritten, before being scanned into the computer.

_To Zell Dincht,_

_You're fighting prowess has become legend throughout Gaia, and now you can have the opportunity to show the world what you are truly capable of._

_In a month's time, a martial arts tournament shall be held, consisting of the best fighters in the whole of Gaia. This tournament shall be held on all different continents of the world, in differing conditions, differing climes, and differing rules._

_The internationality of the competitors we have asked to battle is one of the better parts of the tournament, with fighters hailing from Esthar, Galbadia, Trabia, Centra and even Gardens._

_You may have someone to sponsor you, or you may even simply finance the travel arrangements yourself, but we wish that you fight for you're nation and you're Garden, and for the grand prize of $$20,000,000 Gil and the Title as strongest fighter in the world!_

_The Tournament starts in exactly twenty-eight days from the time you gather this letter – July the twenty-eighth. The opening ceremonies will be held next to Obel Lake, north of Timber. The first fight shall be held shortly after the ceremony. I'm sure the location will be a pleasant surprise._

_Cordially, _

The President of Galbadia, Justice Delarn 

Zell felt woozy. "The President of Galbadia himself…inviting me to fight?"

Angel read an re-read the letter again. "Wow. Someone high up really likes you."

Zell nodded. "Yeah…or is just interested in my fighting prowess…"

Angel looked down at him. "What are you going to do?" she asked slowly.

Zell paused, before looking up at her. "I…I suppose I should join." He shrugged, as if it wasn't a big deal.

She rolled her eyes in a 'don't give me that crap' kind of way. "Come on. I know you'd love to join."

Zell smiled. "I'm like an open book to you, huh?"

"Yep."

He smiled up at her, before nudging her off the Desk and patting her on the bottom. "Come on, little angel. Get in you're seat, before people start talking."

She smiled with mischief and walked slowly to her Desk, in the middle of the room. He shook his head. _Squall was right. She has changed since she has been going out with me._ He chuckled and pulled a rubber band out of a drawer, firing it at her as she sat down. It smacked her right on the nose, and she frowned at him as he smirked in his boyish way.

*          *            *

Squall sat down, a plate with four hotdogs in one hand and cradling two sodas in the other. Zell immediately pulled two hotdogs to his awaiting plate and accepted a bottle of soda with a grateful nod of the head. They were sitting outside the newly finished Trabia Garden, enjoying the sunny day. Everything around them was covered in a thin layer of snow, but it seemed surprisingly warm today.

"It's amazing what they can do with ovens…" Zell muttered. Trabia hotdogs were his all time favourite; even better then the ones in Balamb. 

"It must be the climate…" Squall murmured, unwrapping his hotdog from its wrapper.

"So…" Zell said with his mouth full. "…I open my mail today, and guess what I got?"

"The invitation to the Tournament?"

Zell looked surprised, which evolved to disappointed as Irvine sat down next to him. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a ten-gil note and handed it to Irvine, who smirked and pocketed it.

Squall shook his head and smiled, cracking open his soda and taking a sip. "So, what did it say?" he asked, ignoring the obvious bet that Zell failed.

Zell got over his disappointment and cracked his own soda open with a tooth, ripping the top off and chugging a gulp. He slammed it back down onto the table and belched. "You know…blah, blah, blah, World tournament coming up, blah, blah, blah, different continents, blah, blah, blah, we want you to fight, signed President of Galbadia, Justice Delarn."

Irvine looked surprised. "Really! The _President_ _himself_ asked you?" He shook his head in amazement and bit into his T-Burger. "Wow. What a way to make a name for yourself, huh?"

"Yah. He said the opening ceremony will be held next to Obel Lake, you know, the big fresh water lake north of Timber."

"A good place to relax…"

Both Irvine and Zell stared at Squall, who sipped his soda and stared back at them. "…Whatever…"

Zell shook his head in amazement and took another swig of his soda. "So, what do we know about this Justice Delarn?" He asked Squall.

Squall leaned back, and rubbed his chin. "Off the top of my head, it's said that he's a lot more fairer then the last President…doesn't rule Galbadia with an iron fist like Deling did…"

"It seems that he's not hell bent to rule the world like Deling was either." Irvine said. "He's already making peace agreements with Esthar, and is trying to open trading ports along the Esthar coast. He's even seriously considering making Timber an independent state."

"Really!" Zell exclaimed, looking down at his hotdog in amazement. "Wow…well, if he's such a good guy, then why does he want to take out Laguna? From the sounds of things, it would be easier and more safe to simply make peace with them."

Squall grimaced. "Some people are different from their social profiles, Zell. Delarn may be as twisted as Deling was…"

"Or maybe it's not even Dalarn! Maybe it's some kind of rouge Galbadian army team, launching international countermeasures which activate years after Deling's death?" Irvine said, the idea being met with blank stares from both Zell and Squall. "What?!" Irvine protested. "It might be true!!"

Squall shrugged. "Whatever." He bit into his hotdog as if he didn't care anymore.

Zell swallowed some hotdog and burped again. "It doesn't really matter anyways. I mean, there must be a ton of people wanting to kill Laguna, right? What does it matter who it is? We stop them, take em out, and Bobs-your-mothers-brother, right?"

Irvine stopped and swallowed. "Uhhh, don't you mean you? You have to find out who they are, and stop them."

Zell shrugged. "Well, if I have to go in alone, then so be it." He sipped his soda. "I'm not gonna let some punk assassin whack Laguna. He may be a bit clueless, but he's still a cool guy."

Squall looked at Zell for a minute, chewing on his hotdog thoughtfully. Zell began to feel like a bug under a microscope, trapped under a cold stare. "What? What is it? Is there something on my face?"

Squall swallowed. "You're really going to go to the tournament?"

Zell frowned, as if it was a stupid question. "Of course! Even if Laguna wasn't in danger, I'd still go. Do you know what kind of kudos I could get if I actually win the thing!? I'd never have to worry about money again, that's for sure."

"Yeah, what do you get if you actually win this thing?" Irvine asked.

Zell bit into his hotdog,  a little embarrassed for some reason. "Twenty million Gil…" he whispered.

Both Squall and Irvine spat out their food simultaneously, the revelation knocking the wind out of them. "Tw-twenty million Gil!!" Irvine stammered. "Y-You'd never have to work again!!"

Squall tried desperately to keep a straight face. "With a pot like that, you can't afford to lose, either. It's things like that that draw out the crazies…the people who aren't in it for the fighting, but simply for the money."

"Yeah…" Zell murmured, sipping his soda. "They spoil the purity of the battle. But Squall…" Zell hesitated. "I…I might need a sponsor for the fight…someone to pay for travel and food and things like that…and I was wondering…"

"Sorry, Zell." Squall said. "I'm not allowed to use the Garden in order to sponsor my friends in martial arts tournaments."

"Oh, come on!!" Zell exclaimed, slamming his fist into the table, making the plates and cans rattle. "Don't you understand?! _Twenty million gil!!_ As my sponsor, Garden'd be entitled to at least fifty percent of the winnings! Why else do you think people get sponsored."

Squall shrugged. "Whatever." He saw the look on Zell's face, however, and caved in. "…I'll talk to Cid about it. But don't hold you're breathe."

Zell grinned. "Thanks dude. By the way…"

*          *            *

Sweat poured off his face as he darted through the snow, ducking under a rock and trying to control his breath.

Zell looked left and right, and quickly cast Cure on himself, feeling the fatigue in his muscles melt away, before setting his jaw and jumping out from behind the rock.

Bullets flew through the air as he flipped and twirled through the snow, shrieking shrilly as the lead salads threatened his life. "Oi!! I thought you were going to miss!!"

"I am, aren't I?" Irvine yelled back. "Now hold still!!"

He had asked Squall and Irvine to help him train, but this was ridiculous!

Irvine quickly reloaded the shotgun, raising it to his shoulder and taking aim once more. Zell watched the movement and waited for the expectant pull of the trigger.

Don't miss it, Zell! Keep focused on his movements! Utilise the distance between you and him! Keep focused!!

Suddenly, a large form jumped on top of him from behind, knocking him down and making him eat snow. He rolled over to see Squall swing his gun blade down, his Shear Trigger slashing through the cold air as he yelled a deathly battle cry.

Zell threw himself to the left, the blade narrowly missing his head, digging into the dirt. He picked himself up – and jumped as a load of shotgun pellets blew the mound of snow next to him into snow crystals.

"Come on, Zell! I know you can do better then that!!" Squall yelled, pulling the blade from the ground and swinging the Shear Trigger left and right, loosening his wrist, before attacking once more. Zell defended himself, deflecting the adamantine blade with his Metal Knuckles, the blade bouncing off the metallic protection laid over his knuckles…_just_.

Another shot rang out, and Zell felt a sting on his cheek as the bullet slashed the air across his face, cutting a small slash across his cheek, right over his tattoo. He grimaced at the pain, glancing over at Irvine, who grinned and waggled the Vincent Valentine in his hand – then ducked as Squall swung the gunblade like a baseball bat, the razor-sharp edge embedding itself into a dead tree trunk.

_I'll need to take them both out…_ Zell thought to himself. Squall was struggling with the gunblade, which had gotten stuck on something, and Zell took the opportunity to punch his Commander across the chops, knocking him out cold. Suddenly spinning, he raised his hands, the Water spell forming instantly around Irvine, lifting him into the air and dropping him into the icy ground, the large water bubble formed around him breaking and spilling everywhere.

Zell nodded in satisfaction and wiped imaginary dirt off his hands. _Not half bad, Dincht…_

*          *            *

"So…what are you going to do tomorrow?" Angel asked Zell as he pulled on his sneakers. She had snuck into his room late at night, falling asleep in his arms. He was amazed that it never went as far as that. He figured that if she wanted to go further, then she'll let him know.

"Well, since Cid finally agreed to sponsor me, I figured I better find someone else to take over my classes…and begin to train fully." He rubbed his chin. "Although Squall and Irvine are beginning to get rather predictable…maybe I ought to ask Selphie and Rinoa to help me…maybe even Quistis!"

"I could help!" she said.

Zell smiled. "Sorry baby. You're good, but not _that_ good." He frowned. "I better not say that too much, or I'll get a big head."

"Yes, you will!" she said with a giggle. "Besides, you knock me around enough as it is in our morning training sessions. Maybe I wouldn't be cut out to go full days of that kind of stuff…"

Zell nudged her cheek. "Don't worry about it baby. I'll enter, win, and take you to Deling City to buy whatever you want! Hell, I'll have enough money to buy anything, really!!"

"Really! You'll do that!?" she squealed with delight and hugged him. "Oh, Zell, thank you!!!" She pulled back suddenly. "But you shouldn't make promises you can't keep. What if you lose?"

Zell crossed his arms and smirked. "What makes you think I'm going to lose, baby?"

She giggled once more and kissed him on the cheek.

Zell's face grew serious as she walked out. _What makes you think I'm going to lose…_


	5. Preparations Are Over

Ch 5 – Preparations Are Over

The image on the screen was that of a tired looking, yet very pretty, secretary. She was dressed in the usual Estharian attire – long, flowing gowns of varying colours, hiding almost anything of value from prying eyes. From a SeeD point of view, it was also an excellent opportunity for concealed weapons – but since Estharians are peaceful people, they had no need to carry weapons on their person.

"Hi!" Zell said brightly at the image. "I was wondering if I could speak with President Laguna, please?"

The pretty secretary blinked, then looked down at a schedule before her. "Uhh…the President isn't seeing anybody right now. He's…he's in a meeting."

Zell rolled his eyes. "Laguna doesn't go to those meetings! Is he getting sloshed with Kiros and Ward again?"

The secretary blushed as if Zell had found out a national secret. "How did you…I mean, not at all! He's in a very important meeting, and can't be disturbed."

Zell grinned. "Just say that it's Zell on the horn. He'll know who it is."

The secretary hesitated, before reaching down and pressing a button. "Uh, Mr. President, there's someone on the vid-phone for you…no, sir, not you're mother…no, sir, not Hyne…yes, you are funny, sir…I'm sure that Kiros and Ward _do_ think you're funny, sir…" she lushed and shot a glance at Zell, which screamed _how embarrassing_. "No, sir, it's a boy calling himself Zell…" she looked at Zell again. "Your last name, sir?"

Zell rolled his eyes._ He must be really pissed._ "Dincht. My name is Zell Dincht. I'm a friend of his son."

She looked down at something. "Dincht, Zell Dincht…he says he knows you're son, sir…no, he's not your _son_, he says he's someone who _knows_ your son. Yes sir, right now. Very well, sir." She looked up at Zell once more, her hand releasing the button she had been holding down. "The President shall accept your call, sir. Please hold."

A cool blue screen with the words _Esthar Presidential Suite_ came up on the screen for a brief instant, before it was rudely interrupted by Laguna's grinning face. His cheeks were red with alcohol consumption, and his eyes were slightly glazed over. His long black hair was pulled back in it's usual pony-tail, but a few strands were straying from the binding behind his head, making him look a little wild. "Zell!!" He cried, waving his arms about in the air, spraying the area around him liberally with the bottles of beer he held in each hand. "How are you going, son!?"

"Uh…not as well as you are, it seems."

Laguna burst out laughing, slapping his thigh and looking at Zell with tears streaming down his cheeks. "Is this kid a school act or what?!"

A slurred voice emitted from off screen. "I think itsssh…hic…class act. He'sh a class act…hic" It was obviously Kiros.

"Who's getting sued?" Laguna yelled back.

Zell shook his head and a hand through his blond hair. "Aiyaaa…" He muttered, shaking his head as he watched as the President of Esthar, the most technologically advanced nation on the face of Gaia, fumbled with the cap on a beer bottle.

Selphie leaned over, looking into the screen. "What's he doing?" she asked innocently.

"I am defeated by this bottle cap!!" Laguna announced proudly, before leaning back too far in his chair and falling over. "OWWW!!!"

Squall rolled his eyes and face-palmed, his face going red. They were in Zell's classroom on the second floor of Balamb Garden, and were calling to ask Laguna if they could borrow the Ragnarok to travel from destination to destination in the tournament. Squall and Zell had been kicking the idea around for a few days after Cid refused to use the Garden to travel to the different areas.

_"Oh, come on, sir!"_ Zell had protested. _"It'll give the students an excellent chance to train in all different situations…"_

_"He has a point, sir…"_ Squall had supported.

_"I am not using the Garden to taxi you around the world for a fighting competition!"_ Cid had yelled, fed up with Zells pestering. _"If you really want to travel cheaply, ask Laguna if you can borrow the Ragnarok, or something!"_

C id's face had caved from annoyance to horror as he watched the two boys looked at each other, before saluting and leaving his office without another word.

So now Zell sat, given the task to ask, seeing as he was the one competing, to see if he could borrow a Ragnarok. Selphie was there to provide backup, seeing as she was pretty good when it came to piloting the gigantic air-ship, and Squall was there if Laguna decided to flatly refuse.

The trio hadn't figured on finding Laguna getting smashed with his buddies, however. That hadn't even been in the game plan.

"Aiayaaa…" Zell muttered again, watching as Laguna's hand pawed the desk to find purchase in order to pull himself up. "We'll never get him to even listen to us now…"

Squall leaned on the Desk with his back to the spectacle, arms crossed. "Maybe we can use this to our advantage…" He muttered.

"Yeah!" Selphie said. "If he's drunk, he ought to almost whatever you say, right?"

Squall frowned. "That's not what I meant…" But Zell ignored him and tapped on the screen, gathering a semblance of attention from Laguna, who had managed to put an arm on his Desk for support.

"Hey, Laguna…"

"That's PRESIDENT LAGUNA, YOUNG RABBIT!"

"…Right, whatever. We have something to ask you."

Laguna grabbed another chair and planted it before the screen, sitting down on it with a thump. "Sure, Zell! Anything for a friend of Squall!!"

"I was wondering…" Zell faltered, before turning to Squall. "What should I say?" He whispered.

"Just ask him! What's he going to say, no? He thinks you're a rabbit, for Hynes sake!"

"But…I feel like I'm taking advantage of him…"

"Of course you can borrow a Ragnarok to go joyriding in, little Selphie! Anything for a pretty girl!!"

Zell and Squall looked down at Selphie in shock and horror as she smiled sweetly at Laguna, pouring on the charm. "Ooo, thankyou Sir Laguna! I'll never forget this!!"

Laguna leaned forward, his face coming mere inches from the screen. He needed to grab hold of the monitor in order to stop from slipping from his chair again. "And when you come down to pick it up, you can come see me! I have all kinds of delightful stories to tell you…" He winked a wink that was subtle to him, and nauseating to the SeeDs.

"Uhhh…ok…we'll have to do that…" Selphie said slowly, backing away from the screen. "I…got to go…wash my hair now…" With that, she ran from the room with a red face.

"Pretty girl…very pretty…but short. Very…very short." Laguna muttered to himself.

"So, uh, Laguna, can we have the papers for the Ragnarok?" Zell asked, sitting in front of the screen once more.

"Hyne!!" Laguna yelled, reeling back with shock and horror. "Selphie! You've gotten so much uglier!!"

Zell gritted his teeth and fought the need to put a fist through the screen. "Laguna! The papers!!"

"Yeah, yeah, hang on…" Laguna looked down at something unde the screen, and with utmost care, pressed a series of buttons slowly, as if they would run away if he moved any faster. Zell looked at the paper port beside the Desk as it spat out a piece of paper. Pulling it out of the hole it was ejected from, he read it through, before looking up at Squall.

"It looks legit."

Squall nodded and turned, walking out of the room, his job not even needing to be done.

Zell turned back to Laguna, who smiled at him drunkenly. "Now just remember Zell; it's an Esthar ship, so we'd like it back in one piece after you've picked up all you're chicks."

Zell shook his head and, with a sigh, smiled. "Ok, Laguna. I'll try to remember that."

"Good boy. You're a good boy. Isn't he a good boy?"

"He's _so_ good!!"

"Yeah! Kiros thinks you're a good boy, so you must be good!"

"…Mmmfllrgh…"

"Hyne, Ward, will you shut up for FIVE SECOND! I CAN'T HEAR MYSELF THINK HERE!!"

Zell frowned, remembering that Ward actually couldn't speak. He shrugged and held his finger over the end transmission button. "We'll be around in a week to pick it up, okay Laguna?"

Laguna looked at Zell suddenly, his eyes clearing briefly, the slur in his voice disappearing completely. "Zell…would you…would you say hi to Squall for me? And that I love him?" He looked at Zell with deadly seriousness in his eyes. "Do that for me, Zell."

Zell nodded solemnly. "I will, Mr. President." He replied quietly.

"Good boy." Laguna said, smiling. "Good boy." 

He turned back to Kiros and Ward, the slur returning in his voice. "Now, where were we? Oh yeah…I'm going to beat you in Triple Triads if it's the last thing I do, you mute dummy! NO, DON'T DO THAT!! AAAHHH! NOOO!! OOOWWWW!!!"

Zell shook his head and chuckled as the last image on screen – the very large Ward giving Laguna the mother of all noogies – was burned into his mind before he cut transmission. 

He leaned back in his chair, mulling over what Laguna had said before turning back to his friends. _He had gone from dead drunk to dead serious – at the drop of a hat. Maybe he is capable of looking after himself…_ He shook his head and stood, putting his hands in his pockets and walking out the open door.

He was startled to see Squall waiting for him. Squall didn't even look up, he simply leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his face stern.

"Uh…Laguna said…"

"I heard."

"…"

"…"

Zell walked past his friend, moving for the elevator. _He can handle himself._ He thought to himself. _He has to handle himself. For the good of the Garden._

*          *            *

"Hey! Hey, Laguna!! Laguna, it's us!!!"

Laguna Loire, President of Esthar, the most technologically advanced nation on the face of Gaia, paled slightly when he looked up from the paper work he was doing to see who was walking into his office with three security guards hanging off him. "Sorry, sir." One grunted as he tried vainly to pull the SeeD away from the President. "He just…_walked_ in here!"

"Zell! Ah…what are you doing here?"

Zell cocked a thumb over his shoulder, inadvertently poking a guard's eye out. "We're here to pick up a Ragnarok…remember? The whole conversation we had over vid-phone? Don't tell me you forgot?!"

"Ah…maybe I did." Zell watched as the President of Esthar looked left and right nervously. "Do you have the permission papers?"

"Yeah…" Zell said. "Hang on." He pushed a guard out of the way and reached into a jacket pocket. He fumbled around in that pocket, before checking his other jacket pocket. Failing that, he checked his pants pockets. "Bugger. Selphie must have it." He muttered.

Laguna shrugged. "Oh well. I was starting to get bored anyways. Lets go see the gang." He stood, placing the pen he was using onto the table. A tiny robot emerged from what looked like a tiny box and dragged the pen into the box. It then began to organise the papers on the desk.

"I love that thing…" Laguna muttered as he and Zell walked out of the office, the guards still struggling with Zell.

They walked down Esthar's massive pathways, choosing not to take one of the flying disks. The city was still as blue and magnificent as Zell remembered, towering sky-scrapers, brilliantly polished walls, plants and bushes lush and green. It was like a new toy that had just been pulled out of it's box. You could hardly see the damage made by Lunatic Pandora, or by the masses of monsters the gigantic Luna Cry magnet had spewed.

The people were soft-spoken and pleasant, extraordinarily different from the people from Balamb or Timber. All clothing was either long, flowing robes with many different colours, or the simple trouser – tee combination that the Estharians had picked up from the SeeDs when they last visited.

When they reached the Ragnarok pad, the guards were still latched on. Zell seemed to not even notice them, ignoring them completely, but Laguna was becoming annoyed. "Lay off it, will you fellas?"

"You said protection, sir! We're trying our best!!"

"Well, obviously this boy is a friend of mine, so you can stop trying. He is more then capable for my protection."

The guards reluctantly let go of Zell, the one wrapped around his torso dropping off with a thud, before they walked off, dejected and defeated.

Zell cocked an eyebrow. "See what we meant?"

Laguna waggled a finger. "Now, those guys are only security guards. They're only paid three hundred gil a day, not even worth using as cannon fodder. The guys who will be really protecting me are a lot more difficult to get past, even in your standards." He announced proudly. "The best Esthar can gather. My 'special forces'."

Zell smirked and continued to walk.

They eventually made their way to the red Ragnarok, all the giant dragonesque ships lined up on a massive tarmac, where an Estharian stewardess was trying to calm down a hyperkinetic Selphie, overexcited by the train ride over and the prospect of flying the metallic dragon again.

"I want on! I want on! I want on!!" she chanted.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but unless you have the authorisation papers, you cannot requisition a Ragnarok until President Loire has authorised it."

"But we have authorisation! My friend has it! He'll be back in a few minutes!! I just wanna get in there and prep it for flight!"

The stewardess simply ignored the little girl. And if there was something Selphie despise the most in the whole world, it was being ignored.

Zell saw that Selphie was beginning to go red, and he sensed a sudden flare of energy flash from her. Her hand reached for her nunchaku, and he was about to step in when a cold clear voice rang out from over the tarmac. "Selphie…I wouldn't."

Zell, Laguna, Selphie and the stewardess all looked over to Squall, who was walking back from the elevator to the city limits. He moved over to Laguna and Zell. "Hi, Zell. Selphie left the papers on the train, so I had to go them." He looked over at Laguna, but said nothing, simply handing them over to his father before walking over to join Selphie.

Laguna was a bit surprised at the cold shoulder Squall had presented to him. "I take it that Squall isn't very pleased with me?" he whispered to Zell, his leg twitching a bit.

"From what I've seen, he had a good reason." Zell replied, a little harshly. Turning to Laguna, he looked him straight in the eyes. "I took in the scenery as I walked over to the suite. No guards patrolling, no obvious security…a good Firaga blast could blow through any of the doors I've seen…and I saw nothing from this 'special force'. It' just like it was during Ultimecia…too much peace, not enough security."

Laguna looked down at the papers. "When's the tournament start?" he asked, ignoring Zell's observations. He began to rub his leg absently as he went overt the papers.

Zell sighed and shook his head. "In one more week. The opening ceremony starts in two days, then we get paraded around for a whole day, rest for three days, then the fun starts the next Monday."

Laguna chuckled. "How do you think you'll go?"

"That's hard to say. I won't know for sure until I see the competition."

Laguna chuckled once more. "Well, I, for one, will be rooting for you." He handed the papers back to Zell. "These seem to be in order. I have no idea how you got them, but they're legit…" He paled again, running his leg a little more vigorously, looking over at Squall, who was trying to ignore Selphie running about around him.

Zell watched this with mild curiosity. "You nervous?" he asked. Thanks to Ellone's power to pass one person's essence into another person's in the past, Zell had found out that Laguna's leg always cramped up whenever he got nervous.

Laguna rubbed his leg s little more. "Just a bit." He looked at Zell, then looked at Squall again. He looked at Zell again. "Zell…you're Squalls best friend, right?"

"I like to think I am."

"Do you…do you think Squall…hates me?"

Zell cocked an eyebrow. "Laguna…he doesn't exactly think very _highly_ of you right now…" He paused, unsure on how to put it into words. "But…I don't think he _hates_ you…not _really_…" He shifted his weight to his other foot awkwardly. "Look, Laguna, I'm not really the person to talk to about this."

"Then who is?"

"He's standing right over there. Just talk to him."

"Are you kidding?! That reminds me when I couldn't talk to Julia…every time I go near him, it takes all my willpower not to fall over with pain." He rubbed his leg some more.

Zell shrugged. "Oh well. I guess you'll never know then." He walked over to where Squall was standing, and where Selphie was hopping from foot to foot in an over-excited fashion. 

He gave her a look, before turning to Squall. "You wanna go straight back to the Garden, or test this puppy out first."

"Ooo! Oooo! Lets test it! Lets! Lets!"

Squall looked down at Selphie and rolled his eyes. "We'd better…hey!"

Selphie had grabbed the papers off Zell and had ran up to the stewardess, waving it in her face. "See! See! I told you!"

The stewardess sighed and reached into a pocket, removing the activation key. "Who's the pilot?"

"Me!"

The stewardess fell over with shock. Selphie retrieved the key from her trembling hand with a 'Teehee!' and ascended the ramp, scuttling up it before it even touched the ground.

Squall and Zell looked at each other as the gigantic dragon-shaped ship began to whine. Squall walked up the ramp, shaking his head, the roar of the afterburners blasting a test burst drowning out Laguna's cries of goodbye. Zell turned to the man, who pushed a lock of black hair from his face as the wind whipped it around, and forced a smile.

Zell returned the smile, gave him a finger-to-forehead salute, and ran up the ramp after Squall.

*          *            *

_"You want to do what now?"_

"I want to know if I can take Squall, Selphie, Irvine and Rinoa with me."

"But…but…_why?!_" Cid asked, his tone exasperated as he stood uneasily from his chair.

Zell shrugged. "Moral support. Trainers. Whatever you feel is a good excuse." He leaned close, placing his palms on the headmaster's desk. "But what I really want them there for, is to provide support if things get a bit…out of hand, if you know what I mean."

Cid scratched the back of his neck. "I thought you weren't gong to go against Laguna wishes."

"Who say I am? C'mon, sir. They all need a holiday anyways, especially Squall. Apart from when Laguna refused a month ago, he hasn't pulled out from work once. He barely had time to help me train, what with classes, marking tests and Commander duties."

Cid narrowed his eyes. "What about Quistis? Why isn't she going?"

Zell snorted. "She muttered something about being too busy. Besides, I couldn't convince her to go if I cast Confuse on her."

Cid sighed, and crossed his arms, moving around his Desk to move in front of Zell. "Zell. I've managed to rearrange you're schedule to go to the tournament, I've even allowed the Garden to sponsor you. I _even_ suggested that you ask Laguna to use the Ragnarok to get from location to location. But this is _way_ too much."

"Aw, c'mon, sir…"

"No, Zell! You said it yourself, this facility has never run as smoothly when Squall wasn't around to organise and allocate jobs and missions. Yes, as you said, ever since he became the Commander, he hasn't had much of a time to relax. But that's what comes with responsibility. As for Irvine and Selphie, they are busy with their own classes and other responsibilities. And as for Rinoa…well, we must keep her under close observation, unless her Sorceress powers manifest like they did on the space station."

"C'mon, sir. Please? I can't do this on my own! I'll need support!!"

"No, Zell! This is not a mission! And even if it was, it would be a mission needing that big a team! You would need…three people, maximum! You'll be perfectly capable on your own."

Zell crossed his arms and tapped his foot. _C'mon, Dincht, think! What would be a good excuse?_ He snapped his fingers. "What if I only took…Irvine and Selphie? I'll need Selphie to pilot the Ragnarok anyways, and Irvine can do audience recon for me as I scope out the fighters."

Cid crossed his arms…and bowed his head in thought. _Well, at least he's thinking about it…_ Zell thought. _Although he might just be pissed with me. I've kinda been walking on eggshells with the whole tournament thing…_

Cid looked up. "If you can find out a way to get someone to cover their classes, then I _might_ consider letting them go."

Zell punched the air. "OOOOH YEAAAH! Thankyou sir!!"

"You're asking a lot of favours for this, Zell. I'll be looking for back pay after all this.   
You'd better win this thing."

Zell grinned crazily and gave the headmaster a finger-to-forehead salute as he trotted out the doors. "And I thought saving the world would have been enough!" he called over his back.

*          *            *

"So we are allowed?!" Selphie cried. "Ice cool!!" she squealed and hugged Irvine, who slugged Zell in the arm.

"Good going, dude." He managed to pull Selphie off him and rested his shotgun on his shoulder once more. "No all we have to do is find someone to take over our classes, and everything will be _really_ cool…" 

Selphie hopped from foot to foot. "Already done! Teehee! Way ahead of you guys!!" She smiled up at Zell. "We leave tomorrow, right? I'd better go pack!!" she skipped off with a wave to Zell and a blown kiss to Irvine.

Zell shook his head and scratched the back of his neck. "Maybe I should have invited Quistis instead…"

Irvine patted him on the shoulder. "Nah. Selphie will be fine. And besides, she's the only one out of all of us who can pilot the Ragnarok. She kinda comes with the whole package."

Zell sighed. "Oh well. I guess I should say my goodbyes and see to my classes then."

"Yeah, me too. I'll see Selphie tonight, so where do you want to meet tomorrow?"

"…We'll have to leave some time in the morning, so….ten hundred hours?"

"Sounds good to me." He tipped his wide brim hat in a gesture of farewell and walked off.

*          *            *

"But why me?"

"Because, Angel, you're the best in my class. Who else am I supposed to ask? Gregory? The guy has the strength, but no speed. Julia? She has the technique, but falls apart under pressure."

"So do I!"

"No you don't, baby, you'd be perfect for the job! All you have to do is go over the curriculum that I've set out for the next few months; everything ought to be there. I should be done in a couple of weeks – I swear."

"…You swear?"

"Yep. Very much so. So much I have to eat a bar of soap before I go to bed at night."

Angel giggled at the joke, so much so she almost fel off the rock in the Special Place, where students go after hours to hang out. At the moment, Zell and Angel were alone, except for a couple that were staring out at the stars, together. Zell absently recognised them as Squall and Rinoa.

"…I'll miss you…"

Zell smiled, looking down at the girl with chocolate brown hair and blue eyes. "And I'll miss you, baby…"

He drew her close into a hug, wrapping his arms around her, and she relaxed into his firm grip. He nestled his chin into her hair, her shampoo fragrance wafting into his nose. _I'm going to miss that smell. I'm going to miss her touch. I'm going to miss the way she makes me laugh. I'm going to miss the times like this. The next few weeks aren't going to be a walk in the park…it's going to be very messy, and very painful._

He grimaced as a dark voice clouded in his mind. _But that's why you're doing it, aren't you, Dincht. Sure, Laguna is an excuse – but you love the thrill. The feeling of a good blow connecting, the adrenaline rush as your opponents fist explodes through you're defences…the need to win. The need to survive. That's why we fight. That's why you do nothing but train all the time. That's why My Final Heaven is so good._

_You know, Diablo, _Zell pulsed to the Gravity God,_ I suddenly remembered one of the downsides of GFs. You can never shut them up._

_Ifrit agrees with me, if you wish to ask him…_

_No. I know why I'm doing this…and what you say is partly true. I am a bit of a rush junky. But the goal is Laguna. If I need to drop out of the tournament to stop his assassination…then that's what has to be done._

Diablo didn't answer, and a cool, clear voice replaced the darkness. _Zell, _Siren said silently. _Please make sure you can let Angel breathe._

Zell looked down suddenly, realising that Angel was going red in the face, his arms squashing her against his chest. "Oh, baby, I'm sorry, are you ok?" he asked quickly, concerned swimming in his voice.

"What…what happened? You zoned out for a second, and then you got really tense…" she gasped, trying to gather her breath.

"Sorry, baby, I'm so sorry…" He sat down, his back against a wall. "I was thinking of the tournament…and …I was thinking of how I'm going to miss our times together." He looked up at her. "I…I might be different when I return from this thing. This tournament is going to be brutal, and some of these guys might not let up until I'm a smear on the ring floor. So…if I seem changed in any way if…when…I return, you will tell me…right?"

Angel sat down beside him and rested her head on his shoulder. "I don't think you'll be changed one little bit. You'll still be same old Zell when you return…just with a few more scars, that's all." She looked up into his eyes. "But if you really want me to, I will tell you if I think something's different."

He kissed her forehead and pulled it down to his shoulder. "Thank you hon'…"

Darkness reigned sarcastically. Awww, how touching… 

Silence quelled the darkness. _Shut up, Diablos. I think it's very sweet…_

Warmth overlapped the both of them. _I think you two have too much mortal sentiment in you…_

Double voices overcame the warmth. _we think it's sweet, do we not, brother?_

_WE SURE DO, BRO._

Zell rolled his eyes and tried not to sigh.


	6. Selection Begun

Sorry, reader. I promised a lot of action, and haven't exactly been showing you a lot. Yet…so don't worry! The next few chapters shall be all out fighting! (Michael Kenny, Author)

Ch 6 – Selection Began

The day had finally come.

Zell hadn't gotten one wink of sleep, he had been so nervous. It was like someone had cast Confuse on his stomach, the organ seeming to twist and turn the whole night.

Angel had fallen asleep in his arms at the Secret Place, so he had carried her back to her room. Placing her on the bed, he had brushed a lock of hair from her perfect face and walked out.

He had gone straight to his room, sitting at his Desk and re-reading the letter for the hundredth time. _To Zell Dincht… _He had almost memorized it; he had read it so many times. And now the day had come.

Swinging his legs onto the floor, he stood uneasily. He had trained all day yesterday, but it hadn't quelled the monster growing in his stomach. It gnawed at his insides, threatening to tear him apart…

He shook his head and moved to the bathroom, turning on the cold water in the basin and splashing his face. The shock woke him up, and also sent shivers down his spine. He looked up at the dripping face staring back. The baby blue eyes that girls found irresistible. The blond hair cut and pushed back so the front was spiked. The twisted tattoo on the side of his face like fire in zero gravity, lacing and twisting across the left side of his face. It was his face, angular and smooth. It was his face, amazingly spared from the scarring that his body carried. It was his face, and he was who he was. Zell Dincht. Instructor. Hero. SeeD.

He shook his head again and snorted, before peeling off his shorts to step into the shower.

*          *            *

Irvine was checking his watch again when Zell came tearing outside the main entrance, his bag slung over his shoulder. "Geez, Zell, where have you been?" Irvine wondered as Zell stopped before him, placing the duffel down beside Irvine's bags.

"I didn't get much sleep last night…too nervous. So I had a cold shower, then went to the cafeteria to grab some grub…what, am I late or something?"

"Selphie just went off looking for you. You know what time it is?"

Zell shrugged. "No." he said simply.

Irvine doffed his wide-brim cowboy hat and scratched his red hair. "It's time to GET A WATCH, that's what time it is."

"Well, I'll remember that when I GIVE A DAMN, say, on the twelfth of NEVER?"

The boys then snickered at their conversational outbursts as several cadets passing by gave them and the large dragon-ship behind them weird looks. Balamb Garden hadn't been able to move for a while now, stuck on snow-laden Trabia, and the Ragnarok had been forced to sit outside the main entrance for a couple of days. It had collected quite a bit of snow on top of it in that time, like someone had thrown a gigantic white blanket over it's spiky form.

Selphie walked out of the Trabia entrance, shaking her head and looking about. She spied Zell and Irvine standing by the Ragnarok's docking entrance, and moved up to them.

She slugged Zell in the arm. "Thanks for making us wait for a full hour in the freezing snow, Zell!" she cried, punching him in the arm again.

"Owww!!" Zell whined, ducking behind Irvine for protection. "I'll be needing that arm, thank you!!"

"You can't hide that easily, you! Hey! Get back here!!" She yelled as he skedaddled up the docking ramp into the Ragnarok, Selphie close on his heels.

Irvine shook his head, picked up _all_ the bags, and walked up the ramp, pressing the 'seal entrance' button with his nose.

*          *            *

The flight to Obel Lake was surprisingly brief, the Ragnarok not hindered by gravity and the contours of Gaia like Gardens were. It seemed to simply slash through the atmosphere like a dragonfly, zipping up, down, through and above clouds, thanks to the crazy flying of Selphie.

Three barrel rolls and a rough landing later, they had arrived at Obel Lake with time to spare.

Walking out of the Ragnarok, it was clear to see that theirs was the most flash of vehicles – the only thing that came anywhere close to drawing attention was the Presidential limo, black and sleek, parked just to the left of a large stage erected in front of the lake. Roshfall Forest lay just northeast of the lake, and there was at least a hundred Galbadian soldiers fanned out, in case a wayward monster managed to stumble into the ceremony.

Zell, Selphie and Irvine walked away from the Ragnarok, Selphie activating the security system. The doors of the giant spaceship closed immediately, several lock down measures suddenly on-line. The SeeDs tried to ignore the stares the crowd gave them as they picked their way through. "Ooo, a buffet!" Selphie squealed, pulling Irvine after her. "We'll see you later, Zell!"

Zell was beginning to feel a little better about himself. He was in his element here, a place where people with the same ideals as him got together and beat each other stupid. The climate was also good. The sky was blue, not a cloud in the sky, and the grass smelled clean-cut. The crowd seemed to be converging around the stage, all the contestants mingling with the audience.

Zell, hands in pockets, looked over the crowd with a professional eyes, weaning out the potentials. There were fighters of all shapes and sizes, some tall and lean, others fat and stubbly, mostly men with a few women peppered here and there. Most fighters were dressed conservatively – either tight clothing, comfortable for the person's technique, or loose and baggy, allowing for more movement. All were dressed casually.

There were also many different nations. The Galbadians, with their open confidence and loud voices, Estharians, with their intelligence and quiet words, Centraians, their black skin standing out in the crowd as easily as a Marlboro in a crowd of Bomb-obs.

Zell was so caught up in checking out the competition that he didn't look where he was going, bumping into someone and causing them and him to fall over in surprise. He picked himself in an instant and tried to help the person up. "I'm sorry…" Zell said, concerned, but his offered hand was swatted aside as the person picked themselves up, his apology interrupted by the mans cold gaze.

Zell looked up at the 6' 5" man, Zells 5'5" dwarfed by the huge male. The man looked down at him with barely concealed fury. He had white hair, and looked like he ate rusty nails for breakfast. "Look where you're going next time, you little punk." The man muttered, his accent labelling him Galbadian over the noise of the crowd, before brushing past Zell roughly, staring him straight in the eye before disappearing into the crowd. 

Zell shook his head, looking after the rude person. _Why is it that whenever there's a tournament, there's always a guy who thinks he's gods gift to fighting?_

He shook his head once more and turned to move on, to see three people staring at him, a girl and two guys. They were dressed in casual clothing, and didn't seem like anything special – except for the way they held themselves up, their stances, the way they looked over at the crowd – it all screamed SeeD.

Walking over to them, he led out a hand to the nearest, a girl with blond hair and brown eyes. "Hi! My name's Zell Dincht."

She took the hand in a firm grip and shook it. "July Grimale." She announced, her blond hair fluttering in the breeze. She was dressed in a white blouse and skirt, and looked nothing short of gorgeous. She narrowed her eyes as she seemed to remember something. "Zell Dincht? The Sorceress Hunter…"

Zell took back his hand and scratched the back of his neck with embarrassment. "Heh…nobody has called me that in a while now…it's always Sorceress Hero…"

"But…you are the man who hunted the Sorceress?" One of the pair of boys asked. His hazel eyes locked onto Zells, as if to say _you're not really the Sorceress Hunter, you faker_. He was dressed in brown pants and a blue shirt, with 'I'll kick your ass' written on the chest. His brown hair fluttered in the wind, cut short at the front and left long at the back.

Zell sighed. "Yeah…I was the one who lead the team through Esthar, and Squall chose me to go point in the Castle…he said it was because I was good at finding things, I was a 'hunter'." He shrugged. "The name stuck."

The third boy didn't say anything. He simply looked at Zell with his brown eyes, dead to the world. He had long, black hair pushed back into a pony tail, and was wearing a black jumper with black trousers. Zell became to feel uncomfortable. "And you are?" He asked, turning to the boy who spoke. 

"Sam Gangee." The boy said, offering a hand. "I…I just feel a little gypped, to tell the truth. I always thought that the Sorceress Hunter was…taller."

July smirked. "Nice going Sam. Great way to make the SeeD who killed the Sorceress feel little."

Zell held his hands up before rumour got the better of him, before the boy with cold eye spoke up. "He didn't kill the Sorceress. Irvine beat Sorceress Edea, and Squall finished off Ultimecia."

Zell smiled politely "You know you're SeeD history. You guys from the Galbadian Garden?"

They all shook their heads.

"Trabia?"

Again, they shook their heads.

"Well, you're not from Balamb, so…" Zell's eyes widened. "You guys are White SeeDs! Cool!!"

"Amazing." The boy with cold eyes said sarcastically. "He _can_ put two and two together."

Zell chuckled. "He doesn't really like me, does he?" He asked the other two.

"Nah, he's always like that." The girls said with a giggle.

The boy stood up, and walked forward, moving to gather Zell's attention. "We are participating in the tournament as well. And we are expected to win." With that, he walked off, disappearing into the crowd.

July grinned uneasily and scratched her head. "He's acting more emotionless everyday now…"

Zell smirked. "Sounds like someone I know…"

Suddenly a megaphone attached to the stage floor came to life. _Will all invitation participants gather near the west side of the stage, I repeat, will all contestants who were invited by President Justice please gather near the west side of the stage, thankyou._

Zell looked over to the White SeeDs. "You going my way?"

Sam smiled. "No, sorry. We're here to sign up. We haven't got the kudos to gather a personal invite from the President."

Zell shrugged. "Oh well. Maybe you'll gather some kudos in this tournament." He waved goodbye to them as he walked over to the west side of the stage, watching them walk away smoothly. _Estharian fighters, and now White SeeDs. I'm beginning to get a bad feeling about the info Watts gave us…_

Before he could mull over it a bit more, something caught his attention. Or, to be precise, someone caught his attention.

It was the person who he had bumped into. His white hair, looking silver in the noon sunlight, and large height identified him to Zell immediately. He stood on the west side of the stage, where a microphone was situated. He tapped it once to make sure it was on, and then spoke. "Welcome, honourable guests, to the very first International World Martial Arts Tournament. In the next few weeks, the best and strongest of you will be fighting for the grand prize of twenty million Gil!" A few fighters cheered, and the white-haired man chuckled. "Yes. This obviously isn't any ordinary tournament."

Turning to the back of the stage, pulling a remote control out of his pocket, he pressed a button and lowered a large screen from the backdrop. A picture of the world came on-screen, and Zell recognised it as the one Watts showed them. "This tournament shall be held on different parts of the world, each one different from the other in various ways, to make the arenas as fresh to you as possible." He pressed another button, and the four areas on the map sprang up.

Area 1 enlarged, showing Obel Lake. "The first set of battles, round 1, shall be held here, in Galbadia, the first in the tournament where a ring will be used. GF use and magic use are not allowed. Where the actual ring is will be revealed shortly."

Area 2 enlarged, showing the ruins outcrops of Centra. "The second set of battles, Round 2, shall be held in the Serengetti Plains. The arena is open field – GFs and all magics are allowed."

Area 3 enlarged, showing the snowy white lands of Trabia. "The third set of battles, Round 3, shall be held on Winter Island. The second half of the island will be cordoned off for the fighters. This arena is also open ground, GFs and all magic allowed."

Area 4 enlarged, showing the blank red rock of the Estharian plains. "The fourth set of battles, round 4, shall be held on the Great Plains Of Esthar. The battleground shall be blocked off from Esthar City. Open area as well, GFs and magic are allowed."

A large question mark came up on screen. "Where the fifth and final battle shall be held, will be revealed only to the last two contestants. It shall be in a ring, but GFs and magic shall be allowed. That's all I can reveal right now."

The screen went dead, and Zell turned his attention to the white-haired announcer once more. "Whilst GFs and magic are allowed, the fights will also be scored for viewers and the audience. While use of magic is allowed, use of GFs will deduct from your score at the end of the battle. However, if you are able to defeat a GF, you're score will be doubled." He crossed his arms. 

"The ring battle rules are as follows – no magic, or GF use. An anti-magic field will be cast over this ring here, so if any of you try to use magic, it will be deducted from your score. Remember that." He smirked. "If you are knocked unconscious, you will be disqualified after ten counts. If you are knocked out of the ring, you will be disqualified. And, try to avoid this, but if a person dies, the fighter remaining shall be the winner. These fights are all out. No holding back."

Zell's eyes suddenly narrowed. "Where have I heard that voice before…" he muttered to himself as the white-haired man raised a hand to all the negative yells from the less talented fighters.

"Now, now…I'm sure that most of you are skilled enough to avoid death, but if someone _does_ die, we do have a fully qualified medical team, fully stocked and junctioned with Full Life and Life, so don't worry." He smiled sympathetically. "But there will be a way to weed out those people who aren't skilled enough to participate. Now, pleased follow me."

There was a smattering of applause from the people sophisticated enough to know to clap, and confident enough of their skill to not be offended, and the white-haired man jumped off the stage and began to move through the crowd. The fighters began to follow the man, and Zell shrugged, deciding to follow the crowd.

They walked away from the stage, then the crowd, then the entire field, moving deep into the Roshfall wood. The white-haired man stopped suddenly, turning on a heel, grinning like a clown. The group of fighters, around a hundred strong, looked about themselves nervously. Warrior senses kicked in, and many realised that they hadn't junctioned anything for the formal occasion.

The white-haired man spoke up. "As you might have figured out by now, there are only five rounds, and we'll need a good forty people. So, in the time honoured fashion of Galbadia…"

Five hundred soldiers suddenly burst out from the foliage, guns and swords draw and levelled at the nigh-to-defenceless fighters.

The white haired man grinned evilly. "…Lets have a free-for-all."

*          *            *

It was like a flip-picture – one second there were a group of men and women surrounded by five times their numbers armed with guns and large, sharp objects – the next the forest became a battleground, Galbadian soldiers and fighters equal flying in all directions as the free-for-all began.

Zell looked to his left and right, as the people standing around him before had suddenly flung themselves at the Galbadians, the sounds of gunfire and fists breaking skulls filling the air. Fighter's battle screams echoed through the forest, Galbadian death rattles mingling with the sounds of war.

A Galbadian wielding a sword suddenly slashed his way through the crowd, making his way towards Zell. The sword slashed and stabbed it's way through the air at Zell, who simply deflected the swings and stabs with the adamantine coverings on his Ehrgiez gloves, and blasted him to atoms with a Firaga blast. He had remembered to junction today.

Swaying away from the soldiers ashes, he slapped a swing of a sword with his hand and punched the soldier full in the face, before nutting him and throwing him over his shoulder into the crowd. Moving through the crowd, searching for the white-haired man, he ducked as a fighter's arm flew over his head, smashed his fist into a Galbadian soldier's helmet, and blocked a blow from a crazed fighter, who tried to follow through but found it hard to do with the two broken arms that he suddenly procured from the boy with the tattoo on his face.

Spinning on a heel, Zell took out three soldiers with a roundhouse kick, and smashed a fist into another soldier's face, before picking him up and flinging him into the mass of soldiers. Bullets suddenly filed the air around him, and he ducked and weaved through, the one getting too close for comfort deftly deflected by the adamantine on his gloves. He moved towards one soldier armed with an automatic rifle, grabbing the barrel of the gun and ripping it out of his hands, before kicking the man straight in the chest, sending him flying. Zell spun, using the gun as a club, smashing four soldiers across the face, before flinging it at a sword-wielding soldier, the butt of the gun connecting with the soldier's head, knocking him unconscious instantly.

Madness arose from the crowd as the Galbadians pushed it up a notch, the order for 'Magic!' screamed out from the side-lines. Suddenly fighters felt their energy dwindle slightly as soldiers quickly and effectively drew magic from them, and the fight became a big blasting effect, Fire and Ice elementals sizzling their way through the forest as lightening laced it's way from the air into the targeted person.

Zell found himself suddenly ducking and diving for cover as Fire, Ice and Thunder magic laced their ways through the air, coming very close to ending his short yet eventful life. Seeing a wave of Firaga magic coming his way, he countered with Blizaga, aiming the attack at the ground, creating a wall of ice. The wall shuddered as the Firaga attack hit – but held. Just.

The wall suddenly blasted inwards as three Galbadians threw themselves at it, smashing through it as if it was paper. Zell grimaced, grabbing a soldier by the face and throwing him back over where he came from, before punching another in the stomach and kicking him into the third. More bullets found their ways to Zell, and he quickly beat a retreat, ducking behind a tree trunk. The tree trunk was quickly becoming woodchips, and Zell had to think fast.

Holding his hand out from behind the battered tree trunk, he blasted three Fire attacks to the left – before flipping to the right, his diversion working perfectly as the Galdabians concentrated their fire to where the flames erupted.

Moving through the woods, avoiding some battles, slipping past some others, Zell suddenly found the White SeeD's, protected under a Shell. July was holding her arms up, her legs buckling as the magical shield absorbed an attack. Jumping up and off a Galbadian soldier's head, he fell through the shield, coming up with a roll. He saw the two boys, the one with grey eyes with a large blood clump on his stomach, the one called Sam lying beside him without a leg.

"What happened?" Zell yelled over the sounds of fire, magic and people dying.

"Sam got hit by a Blizaga, took the leg off. A Fira hit Grey in the stomach. Grey was supposed to be our support medic, and I'm busy with the shield."

Zell saw that she was bleeding from a cut to her shoulder and a cut to her leg. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine! Just concentrate on them for now! I can't keep this shield up for long!"

Zell nodded, kneeling next to the cold-eyed boy, obviously named Grey. His wound looked less serious then Zell expected, and he watched as Grey opened his eyes and feebly tried to push his hand away. "Don't need your help…" he muttered.

"Like it or not, we need as many people alive as we can right now, so your going to get my help." Placing his hand on the wound, Zell concentrated slightly, watching the green light trace through the veins in his arm and flow into the wounded boy, the injury healing almost completely.

Grey opened his eyes, now focused, and pushed Zell out of the way, jumping up onto his feet immediately and threw himself, screaming like a premenstrual banshee, into the melee. "Well…" Zell muttered, moving onto Sam. "That was brief."

Taking Sam's leg stub into his hands, Zell looked around for the other half. "If you really want him at his full potential, I need the rest of his leg!"

"What do you want me to do about it? Go and get it for you?" July screamed as her legs buckled at another magical attack.

Without warning, a wayward bullet flew straight through the magic shield, blowing the girl's chest clean open, blooding spilling from her mouth and torso as she fell to her knees, her arms dropping, her spell nullified as her soul dwindled…and faded.

Zell scrambled over to her, grabbing her and pulling a bottle of liquid from a pocket. He always kept one for emergencies, and this consisted as an emergency. Ripping the cork from the neck of the bottle, he poured the Phoenix Down over the wound, watching as it healed over, lungs and heart taking shape quickly before being closed over by skin. It healed her over…but her soul would have to return by itself.

Now seething with rage, Zell stood. The Galbadian who had fired the shot took careful aim once more, the bullet traversing the battle ground straight to Zell's face…_who deflected the bullet with his Ehrgiez glove at the last second!!_

Zell then jumped, rebounding off a tree and bashing into five soldiers, grabbing two by their fatigues-fronts and using them as battering rams, barrelling his way through their ranks with the two seriously injured soldiers before him.

Running out of soldiers near him to run over, he threw his two battering rams at the nearest group of soldiers and drew energy from within him, feeling it pour into him as he cast Forbidden magic.

"Aura!!" He screamed, the Forbidden magic drawing hidden strengths from his muscles, making him glow a bright gold. His magic levels now forced to top their peaks, he screamed out loud, his battle cry making the whole battle seem to stop. Fighters froze in mid-punch, soldiers froze during mid-swing, and they all watched the glowing fighter as his cries echoed through the forest.

Now surrounded by fire, the energy travelling from his shoulder to his fist, which shook with barely concealed fury. Raising it high above him, he screamed the two words needed to activate the limit break – "Burning Rave!!" – before _smashing_ his fist into the ground. 

For an instant, nothing happened, Zell's fist simply digging into the ground…then the tremor started. The very ground shaking, it _split open_ and began to spew lava out of the jagged crack made in the earth.

The attack had been directed at the main body of soldiers, who were taken down with minimal fuss, screaming s they fell into the chasm that closed as quickly as it was cleaved.

Zell, still glowing bright gold, turned to the crowd of fighters. Their numbers had been more then halved. Zell counted twenty who could still stand under their own strength. "Where is the man with white hair?" he muttered through gritted teeth, his anger barely concealed as energy was forced to move faster through his body.

Grey moved from the middle of the survivors, looking up to Zell with his cold eyes. "He ran away when you finished the rest off." He muttered, pointing back towards the field. He was covered in blood, his black clothing slashed and torn.

Zell narrowed his eyes and muttered "Haste" before disappearing from view.

*          *            *

The white-haired man ran pretty fast for an old guy, but he was still no match for Zell in his upgraded condition. One second the man was all alone, running for his life – then next he was confronted by the golden boy with the tattoo on his face, as well as a evil look that would put the devil to shame.

Zell picked the man up and threw him at a tree, which he travelled through and into another tree behind it, smashing onto the ground with a thump, the first tree trunk just missing his head as it landed beside him.

The man raised his hands in a defeated gesture. "No!" He screamed shrilly. "Don't kill me! Please!! I was only following orders!!"

"My fellow warriors are dead…" Zell said. "And you didn't even give them a chance. Hell, most of them hadn't even bothered to junction anything today!"

"They'll be fine…" the man muttered slowly, calmingly. "A med-team is going through the ranks right now reviving all the dead, and heal all the wounded."

Zell narrowed his eyes. "I don't believe you."

"Why would I lie?! You'd only find out in a few minutes anyways!"

"Why did you do it?"

The man picked himself up painfully. "To weed out the weak, obviously…all the people who remained standing are now allowed to enter the competition now."

Zell sighed, the yellow light fading as his emotions calmed themselves down. "You could have done it some other way…exhibition matches, maybe…"

The man sighed. "You haven't changed one bit. You of all people know that if you aren't prepared for anything, then you shouldn't be in the scrum."

Zell narrowed his eyes…before widening them in realisation. "I know who you are now! Commander Biggs!!"

The former Galbadian officer smiled. "Yes…that's my name."

"What are you doing hosting a martial arts tournament?"

Biggs snorted. "Why should I tell a punk like you?"

"Because, adding all the times we fought in the Sorceress mission, this is the fourth time I've beaten you." Zell said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"…Well, lets just say your not the only one who has friends in high places."

Zell narrowed his eyes, but before he could speak he heard someone running up behind him. He turned to see July coming up, panting from the sprint she had just had to do in a skirt. "Wow…" she breathed. "You sure can move fast."

"I cast Haste." Zell said simply. "What's happening back at the clearing?"

"As soon as you left all these Galbadians came out of the woods and began to revive everybody! It's amazing! First they attack us, then they heal us up? What's going on?!"

Zell grimaced, and looked down at Biggs. "It was the Galbadians' way to select competitors for the tournament. All the people who aren't revived by the med-team are now allowed to fight."

July looked up at Biggs with a look that Zell didn't like. "My friend lost his leg. Your boys can't find it, and now the heal time is way over. He's a cripple! He was supposed to be our fighter! He was supposed to win for us!!" She took a step forward and raised a fist, hammering it down at the old man's heavily sweating face with unbridled rage.

The fist was arrested by Zell's hand, which wrapped around it like tinfoil, his large gloved hand enclosing her tiny fist tightly. July looked up at Zell with fury. "What do you think you're doing?" She yelled, wrestling her fist away from his grip.

"What will you gain from killing him?" He retorted equally violently. "Satisfaction? Vengeance isn't one of the procedures in the SeeD rulebook."

"He took Sam's leg! He's ruined his livelihood!! He must pay!"

Zell looked over at Biggs, who was now cowering behind the shattered tree trunk, looking around in fear. "He will pay…" Zell growled. "…But not now." He pointed back to where they came from. "Come on. Let's get back to them. I think the _real_ selection ceremony will begin soon." He walked off in the direction that they came from, and July gave Biggs a look that chilled him to the bone, before choosing to follow the Sorceress Hunter.

*          *            *

July caught up with the blond warrior easily, falling in step beside him. They walked in silence for a few minutes, before she looked up at him. "How did you do that?"

"How did I do what?"

"Make yourself not kill him."

Zell hesitated in his answer, stepping over a fallen tree before replying. "It's not right to kill whenever you feel like it. If you do that, then you're no different then the person you wish to kill, if you have a reason. All the people I have killed, I have either been under attack by, or trying to prevent them from hurting other people. There's a fine line between murder and self-defence, and if you don't know how to walk along that line, you shouldn't be in our kind of business."

July nodded, falling silent once more. Zell looked down at her, reassessing her character. At first he had taken her to be a fighter, but had realised during the battle with the soldiers that she didn't have the build or durability to be a fist-fighter. The amount of time she had held the Shell up had signified her role in the White SeeD group – she was the magic specialist, most probably the fighter's healer.

Her blond hair flowed around her face naturally, the slight breeze making her have to push it out of her eyes every now and then. Her eyes were a lush green, which looked serious right now as she thought about something. She was frowning slightly,  and was moving her lips slowly, as if she was going over something to say.

"How's your chest?" Zell asked her.

She looked up at him with horror. "Excuse me?" she asked indignantly.

He pointed at the gaping hole in her blouse revealing a lot of cleavage. "Your chest. You were shot. I had to use a Phoenix Down to revive you."

She looked down at the hole, before drawing it closed with her hands. "Its…it's fine, thankyou." She said quietly, her face flushing crimson.

Zell chuckled and shook his head.

*          *            *

When the group of fighters returned to Obel Lake, they emerged from the forest to see the whole crowd of spectators standing behind a line of Galbadian soldiers. Expectant faces looked out of the crowd, as well as worried and frightened ones.

Zell saw Selphie and Irvine standing behind the barricade, looking for him, and he walked over to them. "Zell!! What happened?!" Selphie yelled as he walked up.

"The Galbadians just tried to choose fighters for the tournament the old fashioned way. By grouping us together and slaughtering us to watch the strongest survive."

Irvine didn't bring his shotgun to the ceremony, but he still had his Vincent Valentines hidden up his sleeves. "Those bastards…" he muttered, the heavy calibre pistols sliding slowly into his palms.

Selphie shushed him and pushed the guns back into his sleeves. "No…not here."

"She's right." Zell muttered. "I think I'll be needing you guys intact for the tournament after all. This isn't the walk in the park we thought it would be."

"How many fighters are left?" Selphie asked as she watched the fighters mingle with the crowd once more, the barricade dropping. "They all seem to be alive…"

"The Galbadians revived the ones they could and gave them a letter of compensation for the time and money they wasted coming to the ceremony. There were only forty survivors, meaning there will be forty fighters in the tournament."

Irvine's frown simply grew deeper. "A pretty harsh way to select competitors, even by Galbadian standards. I thought this new President would be different then Deling, but I guess I was wrong." He shook his head and turned into the crowd. Selphie cried out for him, but he had vanished in the mass of people.

She turned back to Zell, her eyes shining with border-tears. "He's very patriotic, you know…" She whispered, wiping the tears from her eyes. "It's not his fault, but he always thinks it is…"

Zell nodded. "I know, Selph. I know."

Suddenly there was a fanfare from the stage, and the Galbadian national anthem rang out over the P.A. "I guess they're about to announce who will be fighting." Zell said to Selphie. "Let's go."

"But what about Irvine?"

Zell's eyes narrowed. "He can take care of himself…as long as he doesn't do anything stupid…"


	7. Round 1 Zell VS Chan

Ch 7 – Zell VS Chan – Round 1

Selphie and Zell walked through the crowd of fighters and spectators, families huddling over their shell-shocked boys and girls who had just died for the first time in their lives. Zell could relate to them. His first death had been a haunting experience.

They had been fighting Raijin and Fujin, and Raijin had managed to slip his huge staff through Zell's defences and smash his windpipe. Zell had fallen, choking for air, to his knees, his last action to grapple at his crushed throat vainly before everything became black.

He didn't remember much after that, save that he woke to see Rinoa crouched next to him, leaning over him, a dull green glow fading away from her outstretched hands as the concern faded from her worried eyes. He had sat up to see Raijin and Fujin just make their way out the door of the Balamb hotel, with Squall holding the door open for them.

He still didn't understand why Squall had done that… but he had forgiven Raijin. There was no use being angry with him. He was just following Seifer's orders.

Apart from the shock of not being able to breath, there had been no ill effect on Zell…he had simply died, then had been resurrected. But that didn't stop the nightmares months after…the ones where he gasped for air, but couldn't gather enough…

Selphie looked up at him. "What are you thinking about, Mr. Seroious?" She asked, smiling up at his frown.

Zell smiled and scratched the back of his neck. "I just remembered the first time I died. I know how it feels. These poor bastards have just had the shock of their lives."

"They'll get over it." Selphie replied with a shrug. "Why else would they enter in the competition if they don't know the consequences of their actions?"

Zell smiled and said nothing. Suddenly he remembered that he was still wearing his gauntlets, and he pulled them off and placed them in the back pocket from where he pulled them. The Ehrgiez gloves would need to be washed when they got back to the Ragnarok.

Now close to the stage, where the Galbadian national anthem was coming to a close, Zell looked around for Irvine, but couldn't see him anywhere. _Irvine…don't do anything I would do…_ Zell thought to himself, remembering his outburst at the Timber TV station.

The anthem wound down to it's finale, and the crowd began to cheer and applaud as a group of men walk out from behind the stage and walked up onto it.

Looking up at the stage, Zell saw the group of men walk on. They all wore dark suits and black sunglasses, pressing their ear-pieces to their ears as they scanned the crowd for anybody charging up for a magical assault, or pulling a gun from a long coat or robe. They surrounded another man wearing a black formal suit and red tie like a swarm of mosquitos around a explorer. He had a pleasant face, with black hair with white at the temples, and looked very out-of-place in the huddle of security agents. _That must be President Justice…_ Zell thought. _He kinda looks like Gramps…_

President Justice moved over to the microphone, pushing through the security detail flanking him, and gripped the mic, tapping it uncertainly. "This thing on?" he muttered into it, his voice rebounding around the fields and swarms of people coming in from the buffets. "It is? Okay…" He cleared his throat, and reached into his coat pocket, obviously looking for a speech prepared for him.

The crowd tittered nervously as the President of Galbadia frown and checked his other coat pocket, patting his pants pockets, before shrugging and smiling down at the masses. "Oh well…" he chuckled. "I guess I'll have to wing it, folks."

Zell found himself warming to the old man immediately. He was a mixture of Headmaster Cid, Laguna and his Gramps, all rolled into one. Serious to a tee, yet outgoing and warm. Not harsh and reclusive, like Deling.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the very first Gaia Martial Arts Tournament!" He said, throwing his arms up in the air with a flourish. As if this was a signal, the crowd seemed to forget the massacre that had happened only minutes ago and applauded uproariously, the clapping and cheering deafening as President Justice smiled down at them. 

"Although this is the very first tournament," he continued after the cheers died down, "I hope it wont be the last. We have gathered here some of the best fighters in the world, from all over Gaia, from the pleasant island of Balamb, to the vast lands of Galbadia, from the barren wastes of Esthar and Centra, to the icy depths of Trabia, all fighting for the title of the very best, and the chance to win twenty million Gil!!!"

At the mention of the money the crowd went nuts again, some stamping their feet and whistling, others jumping up and down with excitement. He smiled again, and Zell found himself clapping along with Selphie, who was jumping from foot to foot and whistling with the best. He raised his hands to quieten to crowd, and continued once more. "My announcer has just told me that the selection process has been done, and I will be given the names of them shortly. I must say, I was a little shocked when the idea was presented for the selection process, but we at Galbadia have a saying – 'if it's not done the hard way, then there's no other way!'. So without further ado…"

He looked to the left of the stage, where Biggs limped on, a white envelope in his bandaged hand. The crowd booed and hissed as he walked on, and he quickly handed the President the envelope before hobbling off as quickly as he could.

Opening the envelope, President Justice looked over the crowd. "Woo…feel that tension, ladies and gentlemen?" The laughter that he received generated another smile, and he pulled the list from the envelope. "The first contestant is…July Grimale! July, are you out there?"

There was a small scuffle at the end of the stage, and July burst out of the throng, panting as she took the steps two at a time, her white blouse and skirt changed for a pair of black pants and a red tank top. Brushing down her pants, she moved up to the stage and shook the Presidents hand. "Why the rush, miss?" he asked her, his voice just reaching the microphone.

"Just changed clothes, Mr. President. Didn't want to be late."

The President smiled. "We would have waited for someone as pretty as you. Now, if you could just stand over here…" He gestured for her to stand at the end of the stage and turned back to the microphone. "Now, for the next contestant…"

Zell heard a familiar clank behind him, and turned to see Irvine picking his way through the crowd. He watched as Irvine picked the guy he had collided with, apologising and trying to move on. When the guy, angry at having been pushed over so easily, placed a hand on Irvine's shoulder, Irvine swivelled on the spot, a Vincent Valentine in his hand and jammed in the guys chin as quick as greased lightening with Haste cast on it.

Zell flipped up and over the crowd, landing right behind Irvine and tapping him on the shoulder. "Come on, man. Not here."

Zell couldn't see Irvine's face, but then the handgun slipped back into its holster in Irvine's sleeve as quickly as it had greased out, and Irvine turned with a pleasant look on his face. "What? I was only kidding around."

Zell looked at him but didn't reply at first. "Come on. Selphie's over here."

They picked their way back to Selphie, who was looking intently at the procedures as Justice continued to call the names. Irvine moved up behind her and wrapped his arms around her tiny frame, which she collapsed into, looking up at him with a smile. "Where'd you disappear off to?" she asked over the booming of the microphone.

"Just needed to be alone for a few minutes, babe…that's all."

Zell watched as she shrugged and accepted the excuse easily, content that he wasn't hurt or in trouble, and snuggled into his grip.

Up in the stage, the President was struggling with a foreign name. "Hirouminous….Greyiulous?" he asked, looking out at the crowd with a 'help' expression in his wrinkled face.

Grey walked up the steps of stage slowly. He had also changed his clothes, now dressed in a black muscle shirt and black track-pants with army boots. He walked across the stage slowly, moving over to the President and shaking his hand formally. "It's Hirouminius Greyniminous…it's an Old World name. People usually call me Grey."

"Well…thank Hyne I didn't have your parents, otherwise everybody would just be calling me President all the time."

There was a small round of chuckles in the crowd, but Grey simply looked at the old man before moving to where July stood.

Justice shrugged and turned back to the crowd. "That makes contestant twenty…the next is a Zell Dincht…Zell, are you out there?"

Selphie and Irvine looked over to Zell. "Go on, man." Irvine muttered.

Zell nodded, before smirking and crouching down.

Launching from the spot, he tumbled through the air and landed on the stage next to the President perfectly, winking at the security detail surrounding the old man, the crowd gasping with surprise and awe. The guards looked at Zell with the evil eye, but the old man's eyes twinkled with joy. "Excellent, young man…I hope your head doesn't get too big for your hat, however."

Zell smiled down at the President. "I'm here to win, Mr. President…but who say we can't give the crowd a show as well? Besides, I'm not much of a hat kinda guy…"

The old man laughed out loud and patted Zell on the shoulder warmly. "I think you'll go far, young man." He pointed to the group of fighters huddling together at the back of the stage. "You can go over there now, and good luck! I hope to see you fight!"

"Thank you, sir." Zell said, before turning and joining July and Grey. 

July could barely hold in her excitement. "Wow! The President of Galbadia! And he tried to hit on me! How exciting!!"

Grey rolled his eyes. He leant against a support pole. "Wonderful. Not only is he an idiot and a sadist, he's also a paedophile."

"No he's not!" July retorted passionately.

"You just said he was!"

"Oh come on!!" July turned to Zell. "What do you think about him, Zell?"

Zell turned and looked at President Justice with a critical eye. "He seems genuine…and he reminds me of my Grandpa…" He turned back to the two White SeeDs and shrugged. "I like him. I don't sense any bad juju on him, if that's what you mean."

"See!!" July stuck her tongue out at Grey, who rolled his eyes.

"Oh, grow up…"

Zell chuckled, and turned back to the announcements. President Justice was beginning to get excited. "And now I have the great pleasure to introduce the final fighters, from Galbadia itself! These four fighters have been training for almost a full year, and are ready to take on the rest of Gaia's champions. Will those men and women please come up on stage please?"

Four people, two men and two women, walked slowly from the audience and up the stage. They seemed to move as if they moved any faster, they might break something. The men were huge, and seemed to bulge out of their clothing. The women looked lean and tough. All had short hair, the girls longer then the men's. They all had cold eyes, and Zell narrowed his as they walked on. _One of these guys is an assassin…Selphie, Irvine; I hope your watching this._

The group walked slowly towards the President, who stood beneath their towering forms confidently, as if he had nothing to worry about. "These are the men and women, ladies and gentlemen, who are the physical champions of Galbadia. Obviously, I shall be cheering for all of you, but even more for these four brave souls, and even more for my daughter, Clara Justice."

Zell watched in amazement as one of the girls walked over to the President and gave him a hug, which he returned equally lovingly. July snorted. "Suck up…" she muttered. Grey said nothing.

"Father…" The girl said quietly, looking down at the old man. "You must finish soon. The people have had enough excitement for one day."

"As usual, Clara, you are right." He replied, before turning back to the microphone. "Ladies and Gentlemen, that's is all from me. Let me conclude by saying, lets the Tournament begin!!"

Suddenly the sky went dark, as someone from behind the stage summoned a Dark GF. The GF flew high into the sky, and tiny rockets flew after it like remoras on a shark, before the GF and the rockets exploded brilliantly, lighting the darkened sky like lightening. Several other rockets went into the air, and exploded with great flashes of light and sound, making the crowd gasp in awe and amused amazement. The sky lit up with multifluouresant colours, and Zell swore he saw Diablo flying through the air, carrying several fiery streamers behind him.

He called out to his GF's mentally. _Hey! Is Diablo here, or what?!_

The dark voice replied sullenly. _Yes, warrior, I am here. The…travesty you see in the sky would most probably be a projection. As you know, in this dimension, only one person can hold one GF. No one can summon the same GF at the same time if someone has him in his or her service._

Zell cocked an eyebrow in the fanfare. _In this dimension?_

He could sense the demon's contempt. _There is more then one world then this one, Dincht. You, of all people, having experienced Time Compression, should know this._

Zell smirked. _Whatever…_

The President suddenly walked up to him. "Mr. Dincht? Hello?"

Zell shook his head and looked down at the President with muted surprise. "Oh! Sorry…I was talking to my GFs…I was just wondering if the Diablo up there was real, and it seemed to not be, then I found out about…stuff and…things…" his voice trailed off as he saw the look in the old mans eyes.

"I know about the side-effects of GF use, young man. Believe it or not, I used to be in the Galbadian army, and fought in the Sorceress war."

Zell's eyes widened. "Really!? But…you don't look sixty, sixty-five maximum! The Sorceress War was at least…a hundred years ago!!"

President Justice chuckled. "Yes, but it's amazing what the combinations of magic and cutting edge technology can do for you…" He smiled, before placing a hand on Zell shoulder. "Now, son, you wouldn't happen to be the grandson of Zellry Dincht, would you?"

"Yeah! He was my Grampa!!"

"Well, if you're any good at fighting as he was, then you should have no problem with some of the competitor in the tournament." He turned and waved his daughter over. "This is my daughter, Clara. She shall be competing alongside you."

True to his upbringing, Zell wiped his right hand on his slacks and held it out. "Zell Dincht, ma'am." He said formally.

The girl looked down at the hand, but didn't accept it. The President chuckled. "You'll have to excuse her, Zell. She has been training daily for the past year for this tournament, and her trainer has forced her to be a little less…social."

Zell dropped the hand and scratched the back of his neck. "To be truthful, I've also been training lots in the past few years."

Clara seemed to perk up. "What's your strategy?"

"Uhh…lose myself in the Training Centre, and not come out until I'm either too injured to continue, or until the breeders kick me out…which is when I go outside the Garden to train. Plus, Squall and Irvine helped a little…"

"What's it like, training in the Garden?"

"Well…it's a lot like fighting some of the bigger monsters…there's a few T-Rexaurs, and a lot of Grats…uh, there are some Granaldos, but they are pretty easy once you figure out how they attack…"

"So, in other words, nothing worthy of a good challenge."

The harshness of the way she said the words shocked Zell slightly, and the look she gave him was one of someone who had just lost interest completely in what you were saying. "Well…yeah…the Garden moves around a lot, so I was able to fight some better monsters…but for the daily exercises, that was about it…"

Clara snorted and moved back to the Galbadian group. President Justice looked slightly embarrassed, and waved his hands apologetically. "I'm sorry, Zell. She has been through some tough times…she just needs to warm up to you, that's all."

Zell let his upper body hang limp, defeated slightly. "Oh well. So much for first impressions…"

President Justice patted him on the back. "don't let it get to you. Tell you what. Why don't you come back to the Presidential Suite after tomorrows tournament, and we'll have dinner and catch up on some old times. I'd love to hear what Zellry did after he left the service."

Zell smiled and straightened. "I'd like that. Would it be ok if I asked some friends to come along?"

"Sure! The more the merrier! I may be old, but I'm with the times!"

Zell laughed at that one, and President Justice said his goodbyes and walked away, his phalanx of bodyguards forming the protective shield around him once more. Zell sighed and turned to see Grey standing right behind him, looking him straight in the eye.

"Getting friendly with the higher-ups, are we, Sorceress Hunter?" Grey asked coldly.

Zell smiled. "He knew my Grampa. He just wants to yak about old times, ya' know?."

"Yeah, well, tell you're new friend to watch his back a little more closely from now on. Sam isn't exactly happy to be missing an appendage. And we SeeDs would be so devastated if something would happen to the old man…especially since he'll be sitting on the sidelines…completely in the open…"

Zell narrowed his eyes, his smile melting away. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that a mis-judged magic bolt can do a lot more damage then you can think…especially if it's a Flare attack…"

With that, Grey turned and stepped off the stage, leaving Zell all alone.

He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, shaking his head in despair. _Great. Now I have two assassination attempts to foil. Not to mention not getting my head caved in by those Galbadian brutes. How could it get any worse?_

The dark voice rang deep in his mind. _You could be impotent. That would just put the icing on the cake, you know._

"Ha, ha, Diablos." Zell muttered, before jumping off the stage to move to where Irvine and Selphie waited.

*          *            *

"Zell!"

Zell muttered something and rolled over. This dream wasn't a good one. He hated the ones when people yelled at him.

"Zell!!"

Zell rolled over again and muttered. "Mnm…go away…I don't wanna play today, Baku…"

"Zell Dincht!!" The person yelled for the third, and what sounded like the last time.

It penetrated the fog surrounding Zell's mind, and he opened his blood-shot eyes to see Selphie staring down at him, hands on his slim hips. "Hyne, Selphie…do you know what time it is?" he muttered, rubbing his face with a hand.

"Yes, as a matter of fact! Its exactly one hour before you have to compete! Remember, you and the guy from Esthar is first up!!"

Zell's eyes flew open. "_What!?_"

He jumped out of the bed quickly and began to pace around the room in his boxer shorts, suddenly oblivious to Selphie's presence yet babbling to her all the same. "One hour…but I haven't meditated yet…I haven't even had a shower…where are my gloves?! I need something to eat…I need more sleep…I don't wanna go out there…"

Selphie looked at the spectacle with wide-eyed shock – before bursting into peals of laughter. "If you were anybody else, I'd think you'd be worried!!" she said between giggles, but the chuckles died down as the tiny girl watched Zell walk into the bathroom and grip the basin with both hands for support, the metal basin creaking as Zell applied pressure with his massive strength. "You're not afraid…are you?" She asked the warrior quietly.

Zell looked at his reflection and sighed. "A little…you know me, Selphie. I'm always one to go out with a bang in the middle of a crowd…but fighting in front of all those people…" He lowered his head. "What if I screw up? What if I lose? What if I hurt someone in the audience?" He shook his head and looked at the mirror. "I'm telling you, Selph…I don't feel good about today. Not good at all."

Selphie walked up to him and rubbed his back soothingly. "Don't worry, Zell. You'll knock 'em dead, and the crowd will love you for it! All you got to do is do your best, ok?"

Zell nodded and looked up at her. "Yeah…yeah, you're right, Selphie." He stood up straight, then looked down at himself. "Would you excuse me? I need a shower."

Selphie smirked and crossed her arms. "Well, I thought I would stay for the show, ya' know?" She said sarcastically.

Zell grinned and turned around so his back was to her. "Okay…you say so." Dropping his boxers, he quickly jumped into the shower recess, but not before a horrified Selphie got a good look at his behind. He laughed out loud as she ran, shrieking for Irvine, out of the room, the door sliding shut behind her.

*          *            *

The day he had been waiting for.

Him and an Esthar fighter had been slotted into round number one.  Numero uno. Right off the bat. Starting the show. 

The fighting arena had still not been unveiled, but wherever it was, it was going to be a good one.

Zell, now fully awake and ready to fight, walked out of his quarters whilst pulling on his gloves. Selphie and Irvine were waiting for him.

Irvine stepped forward. "You mooned Selphie?" He reached up and smacked Zell across the chops with an open hand, grinning. "Bad monkey."

Zell returned the smile and moved over to Selphie. "See anything you like?" he giggled.

Selphie looked down at her shoes shyly – before turning and lifting the short skirt of her yellow dress, mooning the both of them. She then took off in a run down the hall, giggling hysterically.

Zell and Irvine stood dumbfounded, before Irvine took off after her. "Those were white panties!!" He yelled after her. "I wanna see them again!!"

Zell shook his head and jogged after them.

*          *            *

When they reached the lake, where they had been told to meet, Zell saw the White SeeDs, and waved. July waved back, as did Sam, who was in a wheelchair. Grey was nowhere to be seen.

Zell left Irvine and Selphie to their chase and walked over to the White SeeDs, crouching next to Sam. "How y' feel, man?" He asked the crippled fighter.

"Like a bird with clipped wings – I feel like I can still fly, but it seems like I'm gonna be grounded for a while."

"Too bad, dude." Zell patted him on the back and looked at July. "So, you're the one taking his place?"

July nodded sadly. "Yeah. An official hunted us down and told us that both of the White SeeD fighters had been chosen, but since Sam has been taken out of the fight, I had to take his place." She shrugged. "It's no big deal. I've been training as much as the boys have. The only difference being that I've been concentrating on magic more then the actual fighting aspect."

"You worried? The first round doesn't allow magic of any kind."

She waved the remark off. "Nah." She pointed to a guy in the crowd. "See that guy? Some Centraian nobody, looks like he just managed to survive the selection process by hiding. He's my competitor."

Zell looked the guy up and down. He seemed to be trembling, and was sweating bullets', looking around him at all the professional fighters surrounding him. His muscle structure wasn't anything to be desired either – it looked like he was some punk off the street thinking his street-fighting would be enough to get him through a few rounds, if luck was on his side. Unfortunately, it seemed he didn't figure on being paired with a SeeD right from the mark, and was beginning to have second thoughts.

Zell turned back to July. "Go easy on the poor bugger, will ya? Don't want to humiliate him."

"The only person humiliated in this fight will be me, if he actually scores a hit on me."

Zell smirked at that and said his goodbyes and good lucks, moving through the crowd of fighters, looking for his competitor, an Esthar man by the name of Gretin Chan.

He found the man standing in a group of Estharians, talking quietly about the strangeness and difference of this green lands compared to the shiny homeland. The man was dressed in the usual long robes of Esthar, and didn't seem to be wearing any kind of protection on his hands. Zell absently realised that they were discussing some of the language differences from all the different countries, and several Estharians were awkwardly using some of the different slang of the different countries.

Zell tapped one on the shoulder, and the man turned curtly, looking down at the shorter Zell. "Uh…Gretin Chan?" Zell asked, looking up at the 6'1" man.

"Ah…you must be Zell Dincht." The man said, his voice cool and smooth, like velvet. He was pretty handsome, black hair slicked back from a cool face. "I've been searching for you. As the Galbadians say, 'Where you been, partner'?"

Zell shrugged and smiled. "Oh, you know, the celebrations…had a late night last night, needed to catch up on some sleep…" The joke went straight over the Estharian's head, and Zell doubled back. "Uh…I just wanted to say good luck, buddy, and I hope that we have a fair fight." He wiped the palm of his right hand on his shorts and held it out, which the Estharian took smoothly.

"I accept your luck, Mr. Dincht, and give you my own. I hope the fight will be an entertaining one for the audience." The smile that he gave Zell seemed genuine enough, and Zell returned it fully.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"As you Balmb people say…'go for it'."

"Are you going to be fighting in those long robes? I'd think they'd be a little constricting…"

Chan smiled. "Unlike the people in the west, we Easterners have different ways of training." He lifted a fold of the robe, which shimmered in the morning light, and held it out for Zell to grab. "Here, try to lift this."

Zell grabbed the fold – and caught his hand as it plummeted toward the ground, the heaviness of the robe taking him by surprise. "You wear weighted clothing…" Zell muttered to himself. "Interesting…"

"Yes…" Chan said, taking the fold back. "We wear these robes every day, prolonging the training experience. If I take them off, my strength and speed shall double, unrestricted by the weights."

Zell whistled. "Wow…that's a neat way to train. I'll have to use it sometime. Well, it was nice meeting you, Gretin. I'll see you at the ring."

The Estharian nodded. "Wherever the ring is…" He muttered, before turning back to his countrymen.

Zell nodded, turning away from the Estharian. _Wherever the ring is…_ Where the hell was the ring? The only things in the field, beside the lake, were a few buffets and the seating for the audience.

Suddenly there was a growling sound, and Zell felt his stomach do another flip. He was hungry. _Really_ hungry.

Gravitating to the closest buffet, he grabbed a plate and began to load food upon it. Pies, sandwiches, hotdogs, pasta, oranges, apples, those little folds of ham. The man serving the food looked at Zell as if he was out of his mind. Several people saw how fast he was going through the buffet and decided to move onto the next one, where there would be more food.

When he was finally finished – three plates full – he moved over to a table, delicately balancing the plates in his hands. Placing them down gently, he sat down and began to chow.

He was halfway through the first plate when he heard someone sit down next to him, and looked over the mound of food he had accumulated to see July, her own plate simply holding two sandwiches and a small serving of pasta.

"Good food, huh?" Zell said with a full mouth, cramming a ham-and-cheese sandwich into his mouth, not bothering to chew.

"Do you always eat this much before a fight?" July asked, slightly shell-shocked as she bit into her own sandwich.

"Oh, yeah! I can't fight without a full stomach!!" He looked at her as if she was the one who was crazy. "How else do you make you're body move?"

July shrugged. "Well, most of my fighting is run on adrenaline. So I usually don't eat that much. Upsets my stomach."

Zell scoffed her words and shook his head, stuffing two pork buns and a small pie into his mouth. He chewed quickly, his jaws moving like pistons, before swallowing the whole mixture as quickly as he could. Pushing plate number one aside, he pulled the second plate over.

Selphie and Irvine suddenly sat down next to Zell, the both of them giggling insanely. Zell swallowed what he had been chewing and gestured to them with a half-eaten hotdog. "July; Selphie and Irvine. Irvine, Selphie; July."

Selphie held out her hand, smiling. "Hi! How are you?"

July shook the hand evenly. "I'm fine, thank you."

Irvine tipped his hat to July in a gesture of hello, then turned to Selphie. "Do you want anything?"

"Just a soda, thanks."

Zell gasped down a mouthful of food. "Get me some too!!"

Irvine stood, smiled at the girls, and walked over to the drinks stand.

July leaned in close to Selphie, eyes wide. "Are you guys…you know, them? The Sorceress Hero's?"

Selphie giggled, before nodding curtly. July simply looked at her, her mouth wide open. "What are _three_ Sorceress Heros doing here?"

Selphie shrugged. "Well, I'm Zell's healer and pilot, and Irvine is the bodyguard." The three Balamb SeeDs had converged before leaving, and had worked out a withstanding alibi. If news went out that they were there to stop an assassination, things would get even worse to handle. Zell had wanted to keep a low profile.

July narrowed her blue eyes, not buying it. "Come on. Three high-powered SeeDs, all coming to a major event like this at the same time? What's going on?"

Selphie smiled, but cocked an eyebrow to Zell, who smiled. "July is a White SeeD, and is quite cautious because of it." 

That caused Selphie's jaw to drop, and she turned to July. "You live with Ellone, right? How is she? I haven't seen her in ages!!"

July was a bit confused at the turn of questioning. "Hang on…"

"Is she ok? Is Zone still over there? There was a really cool guy there last time I was there…Grey! Is he here too?! Ooo, this is exciting!! Living on the ocean, how romantic!!"

July looked slightly worried, and looked over to Zell for help. He simply smirked and tossed the last bit of food from his mound up in the air, catching it in his mouth and swallowing in one motion, before standing. "You guys seem to be hitting it off. I'll leave you to it."

He walked over to the drinks stands, grinning. July would be caught up in Selphie's inane babble at least until her fight – and by then she would have forgotten why they were there. He walked over to Irvine, who was just getting the drinks.

"7 Gil, thank you." The pretty soda seller said.

Irvine reached into his back pocket for his wallet, at pulled out a ten Gil note, grabbing the sodas. "Keep the change." He said to the girl with a wink, who giggled and ran the money through.

He turned to see Zell smirking behind him. "What?" He asked innocently as they walked away from the stand, Irvine tossing Zell his two sodas.

"The last I saw, these sodas were ten Gil a piece."

Irvine shrugged. "Ahhh…the benefits of being handsome and the ability to charm women, my friend…good attributes to have."

Zell laughed at that, before a call came out over the intercom rigged around the eating stands.

Could Zell Dincht and Gretin Chan please make their way to the podium in front of the lake. Their fight is about to begin. 

Zell looked at Irvine. "Well. It's time." Cracking both tops of the sodas, he slammed them down in one gulp simultaneously before crushing them with his hands, the flimsy metal folding effortlessly under the brutal strength. "If I don't come back, avenge my death." He joked, tossing the two crushed cans into a bin, before turning and running for the lake.

*          *            *

When he got there, he looked around a little nervously. Gretin was already there, his long heavy robes fluttering slightly in the breeze, but the podium was facing away into the lake, as if the person speaking would be addressing the lake itself. Also, the seating had been arranged about ten meters from the lake's edge, surrounding the entire lake. The Estharian turned to Zell and smiled. "Hello, Mr. Dincht. I hope that amount of food you just ate hasn't had any effect on you're speed."

Zell smirked, shifting his weight from foot to foot, his fists pumping as he took a couple of test swings at the air. "If anything, dude, it's made me faster!!"

"That is good to hear. I do not wish to have an unfair advantage on you."

There was a fanfare from the intercom system, an attention grabbing tune emitting from the speakers set up all over the field, before a voice called out.

The first fight is about to begin. Would all spectators please move to you're seat number, thankyou.

"Here we go, dude." Zell said, still hopping from foot to foot. "You nervous?"

Chan smiled. "I am not made of stone, Mr. Dincht. I do have emotions." He turned to the lake. "To answer you're question, yes, I am slightly nervous. I have never fought in a competition as big as this one. The only thing I wish is for the fighting to be fair…unlike the selection process."

Zell smiled, and stopped moving. "Well, I'll try to fight to the best of my abilities."

The Estharian turned and smiled once more. "I'm sure you will, Mr. Dincht."

The spectators were almost seated now, and the roar of conversation was almost deafening as people began to get impatient. The mass of people cold have numbered in the thousands, if Zell had been bothered to try and count – but he was too busy trying to quell the Gayla casting Blizzard in his stomach.

The President's car drove up from Deling, and he hopped out, his human shield moving with him as he crossed the eating part of the field to get to the podium. When he finally reached the podium, the security detail suddenly peeled off, moving around the lake at regular intervals. What's going on? Zell thought to himself.

President Justice moved over to the two fighters and placed a hand on their shoulders. "I hope you two have a good fight, and I'm sure you'll get a kick out of the ring!!"

Zell cocked an eyebrow at the mysterious glint in the old man's eyes, but nodded all the same. "Thank you sir."

Chan also nodded. "Thank you, Mr. President."

Justice smiled, before moving to the podium and turning on the microphone. "Ladies and Gentlemen, if I could have your attention please." The crowd quietened down a bit, and he continued. "Since this is the first in only two ring battles, the designers of the rings decided to make it as captivating as possible. Through diligent work, their masterpiece shall hopefully not go unrewarded by you, the audience. Gentlemen, if you please."

He gestured to the men surrounding the lake, who crouched down as one. Zell senses an enormous amount of energy suddenly flow through the area, and gasped at what he saw.

Massive amounts of wind blew tiny droplets from the lake's glassy surface, making ripples in the usually calm waters, as the men drew and focused their magical energy. 

Something moved underneath the surface. Something large and wide. It was like they were ripping the bottom of the lake out from under the water.

The ground shook as the men suddenly yelled, the massive flux of energy suddenly released, causing the large thing to shoot out from under the water.

"You gotta be kidding me…" Zell gasped as he watched the ring emerge from the water in a spectacular display, the big square slate spinning up high in the air, water raining down from the edges.

The crowd gasped as one as it began to plummet to the ground – before it stopped just a few feet from the lake's surface. They stared at the massive ring for a few seconds – before erupting in applause, their feets stamping, yelling and screaming in approval of the fancy show.

Zell scratched the back of his neck in amusement. "Well, you know how to put on a good show." He said to the President, who stepped off the podium and walked towards the two fighters.

"Spectacular…" Chan gasped, his cool demeanour lost as he looked at the massive limestone slate levitating over the water's edge. "The men who lifted this must have massive magical proportions!"

"Well…the rest of the show is up to you guys, now." The President said, smiling. "Up you go."

Zell and Chan looked at each other, and nodded. They both walked up to the edge of the stage, jumping on easily. The crowd went wild as they saw the fighters move to the centre of the ring, yelling and whistling as they raised their hands in welcome.

The whole ring was about the same size as the lake, which was pretty big in it's own right. Zell estimated it to be a good thirty by thirty meters – which gave plenty of room to battle. Small pools of water sat in certain areas of the ring, and the occasional fish was jumping and gulping for oxygen-rich water as opposed to the rude lifting. Zell smiled softly as he watched Chan walk to each and every fish, picking them up and tossing the back into the water.

Zell looked around the crowd, looking for familiar faces. He saw the panel of judges sitting a few meters from the lake-side, hiding behind magic measuring equipment an recording devices. Presdient Justice sat a few feet behind them, flanked by his security detail. Zell smiled as he saw Selphie and Irvine whistling and shouting encouragement, and waved to them. Suddenly the whole stand around them erupted in cheers, and Zell put his hand down meekly as the yells washed over him.

Ladies and Gentlemen, introducing the Estharian Gretin Chan, and the Balamb SeeD Zell Dincht! The loudspeaker boomed, the fighters waving to the crowd once more, before turning towards each other.

Zell began to loosen up, touching his toes before stretching his hamstrings. "I'm not going to go easy on you. You'd better loosen up."

The Estharian simply stood, watching Zell. "I am loose enough, Mr. Dincht."

"Oh well. You're funeral."

The rules are simple, folks. If someone gives up, gets knocked out of the ring, or dies, then the fight is over and the survivor gets to go onto the next round. Magic and GFs are not allowed, although a fighter may call upon a healer once in the match if he wishes. The fight may go on as long as it has to, but point will be deducted from the overall score the more time it goes on. With that over, fighters, you may begin when ready!!

Zell stood and tightened his Ehrgiez gloves, before taking his position. "Ready, dude?"

The Estharian took a long pose, his draping robes still concealing half his body. "As you say in Balamb; 'Whenever you are.'"

*          *            *

The crowd gasped as Zell took off at in a run, barrelling into the Estharian, lifting the taller fighter off the ground and slamming him back into the ground brutally.

A commentator's voice rang out over the intercom, echoing around the makeshift stadium as the fight got underway. Zell Dincht gets this fight up and running by picking up Chan like a rag doll and driving him into the ground like a football player with a vicious tackle!!

Zell lifted himself up off his opponent to take a swing, but a fist glanced off his temple, knocking him back, and he fell backwards onto his back. He rolled with the fall, coming up onto his feet – to meet a spinning kick to the face, smashing him back across the ring.

Ooo, a good kick from Chan! Zell didn't see that one coming!

The crowd's cheers reached a crescendo as Zell spat out some blood as he stagger to his feet, their screams at the sight of blood making his boil. The Estharian moved forward wearily, stepping in close to deliver a punch to Zells kidneys, before smashing a knee into his chin, knocking him back once more. Zell landed on his back, and the Estharian straddled him, his fists smashing into Zell's face, each punch making a flat thump as knuckles met flesh. 

Ooo, it looks like the SeeD is in trouble! Chan just seems to be using Zell's head as a punching bag! How long can Zell withstand this kind of punishment?!

His arms pinned, Zell took a few blows, before raising the Estarian up and over his head with a supreme effort, and tossed him away, sending him tumbling over to the other side of the ring.

Wow! Zell fights back at last! The Estharian is looking a little more then surprised, folks!!

Flipping to his feet, he tested his jaw. It was a little sore, and he was bleeding freely from a split lip, but apart from that it didn't seem any more worse for wear. He felt something tumbling in his mouth, and spat a tooth into his open hand.

Is that…I think its…yes! Zell Dincht had lost a tooth, Ladies and Gentlemen! That's gotta hurt!!

The crowd cheered even more as he looked down at the tooth. Ow… he thought. I think I'd better keep this for later. He narrowed his eyes, looking from the corner of his sight as Chan got to his feet.

He gingerly put the tooth into one the pockets on his shorts…and span suddenly, smashing a fist into Chan's stomach, before brutally head-butting the Estharian and kicking him away with a door-opening stomp to the chest.

Wow! Even I didn't see that coming, folks!!

Chan span on the ground, pushing away with his hands to flip up and land on his feet, following through with the attack. He stood a little shakily, and Zell took the opportunity to wade into him, smashing his head around with some well-timed punches and jabs, his attacks barely defended as the woozy Estharian staggered back with each blow. Zell's ears were filled with the rush of his blood and the sounds of the crowd, the cheers, the screams, the yells for blood. He seemed to take a seat outside of his body, watching as a punch smashed Chan's head back, a spray of blood and sweat throwing itself free from his face.

Chan is being pummelled relentlessly by Zell, who seems to be gathering the upper hand right now!! What will Chan do?

Chan finally defended himself, knocking aside a fist and pummelling him palm into Zell's chest, the blow sending the SeeD skidding back.

Ooo, nice move!!

The two fighters assessed each other, looking at each other from across the ring. Zell's face felt like it had been smashed with a two-by-four, and his kidneys shouldn't have been aching as they were. The Estharian, Zell saw, was barely able to stand under his own weight, and his own face had been rearranged from smooth, handsome features to a mishmash of blood and tenderised flesh.

Zell smiled, running his tongue along his remaining teeth. "How you feeling, Chan?" he yelled over the sounds of the crowd.

"I'm feeling a little heavy…" the Estharian replied, and began to lift the long robes off his body.

What's this? What is the Estharian doing, folks?

Zell watched, amazed, as Chan finally lifted the heavy clothing off his body and bundled it together. "Ahhh…" Chan sighed. "That's better." He lifted the clothing up and threw it over his shoulder and out of the ring, where it smashed into the lakeside, making a little furrow in the ground as it skidded to a halt.

Wow!! Chan has been using weighted clothing during the fight, folks! Zell will have his work cut out for him now!!!

Zell narrowed his eyes, and took his position. Even without the clothing, Zell sensed that Chan was still not strong enough to defeat him…but the margin of defeat was slim. And slim wasn't good in this kind of battle.

Chan's clothing underneath the robes consisted of a pair of pants and boots, no shirt. He flexed his torso muscles, to the delight of the female portion of the audience, and let out a long breathe. "You will be defeated now, Zell." Chan said, addressing him by Zell's first name for the first time. "I must say, you are very powerful to make me not use my weights in a battle. It is rare when I do not use the in this kind of situation."

"Well, I feel privileged, believe me."

A trading of words between the fighter, folks. These guys are old school, using jibes and verbal tact to confuse and intimidate their opponent!

Chan smiled, before taking off in a run, sprinting towards Zell with unbelievable speed.

Zell barely had time to defend himself, holding his arms out and arresting the Estharian's pace almost immediately by slamming his palms into his shoulders…before he began to skid back, the momentum that the Estharian had built running across the large ring causing Zell to vainly dig his sneakers into the smooth ground.

Whoa! Chan's speed and streangth has increased at least four times ladiesd and gentlemn! Zell is trying desperately to not get knocked of the ring, but will he succeed?!

Digging his fingers into the flesh of Chan's shoulders, Zell fell backward, pushing Chan's chest up with his feet, launching him up in the air. Quickly rolling backward with the launch and moving into the Estharian's trajectory, Zell jumped and roundhouse kicked Chan in mid air, sending him flying backward and tumbling down to bounce on the ring's floor.

Whoa!! I don't know about you, ladies and gentlemen, but these guys are seriously beginning to rip it up!!

Zell sprinted to the Estharina, who picked himself up effortlessly – and rocketed himself into the Estharian, his leg extended for the perfect jump kick.

Unfortunately for Zell, the Estharian's reflexes has been sharpened by the unrestrictive ness of the clothing as well. Zell's foot came to within an inch of connecting with Chan's head – before he grabbed the foot and swung Zell around and around like a rag doll, before finally letting go and allowing Zell to crash to the ring floor face first.

Ooo, bad move by Zell. Overestimating his opponent's reflexes. That's gotta really hurt, folks!

Zell bounced a few times before he skidded to a stop, the crowd's cheers echoing in his ears, and he painfully pulled himself to his hands and knees. He could sense the Estharian walking up behind him. "Are you ready to give up?" Chan asked politely.

Zell could feel the power welling inside him, his Limit almost at Breaking point – but it needed that extra boost. Put on a show – you need to keep battling until you gather enough energy to launch the Limit Break. If you use the energy now, it wont be powerful enough to get him.

Zell smashed his fist into the ring's floor, crushing the stone underneath. "Never!!!" he screamed, stepping up onto his feet and launching himself up into the air, coming down onto the Estharian with both feet, his sneakers blowing into Chan's unprotected chest.

It was like taking off from a meat platform – Zell launched himself off the Estharian's bare chest, back flipping through the air to land on the balls of his feet. The Estharian was knocked a little off-balance, staggering back from the powerful attack.

Wow! Zell fights back with a vigour we haven't seen the SeeD show yet! This guy has willpower, folks, and I don't wanna be Chan right about now!! 

Zell rushed forward, screaming like a wild man, and threw a punch, which Chan dodged, and another that he didn't. The uppercut knocked Chan's head back, but instead of falling down or crying out, he followed through, flipping onto his hands and kicking Zell on the chin. Zell fell down onto his back, his chin burning like fire, but he fought through the pain and rolled over just as a black clad knee smashed into where his head used to be.

Ooo, excellent evade by Zell!

Zell swung his legs around like a break-dancer, tripping Chan over. Zell took this opportunity to run away, rolling away until he had a chance to get to his feet.

I never expected it to be this hard… He thought to himself. I can't wait any longer. I got to finish this off right now!!

Setting his legs to shoulder width, his arms bent to right-angels, every muscle in his body burning with natural energy, he threw his head back and screamed, allowing the power to overwhelm him, envelope him, overtake him. Chan took a step back as the wave of spiritual energy washed over him, the sheer wattage of power making the floating ring shake.

What's this? Is the SeeD trying to use magic, ladies and gentlemen? If he is, then this fight is over, cause he will be immediately disqualified!!

On the side of the lake the panel of judges looked down at the magic measurers before them. "What's going on?!" One cried out. "He's giving off an huge amount of spiritual energy, but it's not registering on the charts! What gives?!"

President Justice walked over to the panel of judges. "He is using what the SeeDs call, a Limit Break, where a person, having been damaged a certain amount, is able to tap into an enormous amount of power from within themselves. Technically, it isn't magic – simply the human body's natural way to defend itself."

Wait…yes…I see…yes, well, people,. It seems that Zell is using his infamous Limit Break, which isn't actually magic derived, even if it uses magic to power itself!! This is going to get ugly, folks!! The commentator cried into his microphone as the very box in which he sat began to shake and rattle.

His words were drowned out mostly by the crowd, however, who were cheering and screaming for more. He span to see Zell bathed in red light, his screams reaching a crescendo of sound as a large shockwave blasted from him, the pure energy radiating from him knocking every standing person over, and rocking the grandstands like they were made of matchsticks.

When Zell regained enough control, the first thing he did was look at his opponent, through a haze of red. His stare pieced straight through the Estharian's cool demeanour, and Zell saw, with almost no emotion whatsoever, that he was scared.

This excited Zell, for some sick reason, but he didn't dwell on the feeling. He simply set his stance, like a long distance runner, and screamed the words "Meteor Barret!!"

What the hell? 'Meteor Barret'?! What the hell is that?!

One moment, he was standing a few meters from the Estharian – the next he was in his face, his fist buried deep in Chan's stomach, a small hump appearing in the Estharian's back from all the organs and bones squashed deep together. Chen could do nothing except gag, a cloud of blood emitting from his mouth and spraying Zell in his stone-cold face – before the laws of physics caught up with the speed Zell had shown, and launched Chan from the ring at astounding speed.

WHOA!! I've been commentating for a good twenty-five years, folks, and I've never seen such an amazing show of strength and speed in all my life! Just look at Chan fly!

The fighter flew through the air like a stunt man blown out of a cannon, and smashed straight into the lake-side, his body skipping and bounced along the ground as if he was a simple rock tossed across a lake.

Well, folks, that's about it for this fight. Zell Dincht is the winner!! Although, he seems to be having a little trouble…

Zell, the amount of energy coursing through his body not yet fully released, tried to desperately force it back down, back to the depths of his soul from where it came from. The power crackled around him as blue electricity as he bent his head and grunted, balling his fists to bone-breaking proportions, willing the power to subside…and dissipate.

Hes…no, wait, never mind, folks. He's just trying to control the power, that's all.

He needed to gulp air, sucking it in greedily as if he could never have enough, and fell to his knees as his injuries overwhelmed him. His fell to his hands and knees, his breathing becoming even more shallow as the massive quantitys of power began to slowly drain from his body, his hyperventilations causing the progress to move more slowly.

He was beginning to go into Limit arrest, where a person who draws massive amount of energy only uses a tiny portion, then tried to simply push the rest away. It was like asking a Red-Dragon to kill a puppy, then telling the Dragon to go back into it's cage. Nigh to impossible to do, and even more rare to overcome by yourself.

He fell to his side and began to twitch, the energy that was subsiding suddenly flaring up once more, blasting huge chunks from the stadium and the ring. Blue electricity laced from his body, making almost every electronic piece of equipment explode in massive showers of light. Amazingly, the pain subsided, and Zell found himself able to think clearly, calmly, as if the Limit Arrest wasn't even happening.

Whoa! WHOA!! Ladies and gentleman, if you have any electronic equipment of any kind on your person I'd advise you to throw it away! The power flux is destroying any electrical equi – The commentator's box suddenly exploded, the power lacing through all the equipment inside it destroying it utterly.

Zell could only yell at himself in his mind. Stupid! I should have used the Limit Break earlier! I over-estimated his strength to colossal proportions! Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!

All he could do was lie there; berating himself as his body tried to spend all the energy he had foolishly built up, the power lashing out without warning. Zell was almost about to give up and try to close his eyes, and allow the Limit Arrest to run it's full course, when he felt a presence beside him.

Through sheer will-power, Zell turned his twitching head to see Selphie standing beside him, her unique Barrier spell surrounding her, shielding her from the massive quantities of power that was lacing from Zell's body. She must have jumped, all the way from the stands, to the ring.

She knelt beside him, shaking her head sadly, placing her hands on his trembling body. Almost immediately, Zell's spasms subsided as Selphie drew the power from him and leeched into herself, her tiny body much more able to withstand the power levels then Zell's. She was, after all, the third powerful magic user in all of Gaia.

Her curly hair stood on it's ends as the energy was sucked from Zell into her, and finally she let go of him, falling onto her back, exhausted by the tapping of such raw energy.

Zell rolled onto his back beside her, his hyperventilations slowing to simply heavy breathing, and managed to creak his neck to look at her. "Are…are you…ok, Selph?" he managed to croak.

Her breathes were as equally heavy as his, but she managed to force one of her famous smiles. "I've…been better…Zell…"

"That…that makes…two of us…"

And with those words, Zell passed out, glad to let relief and pain wash over him like old friends invited in from a storm.


	8. Blind Confrontation

Ch 8 – Blind Confrontation

Darkness.

The inviting black welcomed Zell with open arms, and he fell into it with no objection, his battered body twisting and tumbling into the void.

Strangely, it gave him a weird sense of déjà vu, and he suddenly remembered Time Compression, the weird sucking of your soul as you tumbled and twirled through time.

He didn't feel scared, however. He was having a dream, one of those ones where you fell and fell, and just when you were about to hit the ground, you wake up. Instead of freaking out, he took the opportunity to think, his mind completely open to everything within memory.

"Why did I use so much power?" he thought out loud. "I should have known better then to use that much. I almost destroyed the entire stadium! I'll be lucky if they let me continue to fight…and to mention that my cover is more then blown…everyone will be watching me now."

His body felt light and numb, like a dead-leg. He felt no pain, and he wondered how much damage he had received from Chan. "Geez…Limit Arrest…I hope Selphie's ok…and what about Chan?! Hyne, I might have killed him with that blow!!"

Shock and worry flooded his mind, and suddenly the void receded to the moment where his fist connected with Chan's stomach. Zell watched, horrified, as his fist smashed into the flesh – and then seemed to travel into it, buried within muscles and bodily organs. He saw all this as if he was watching from the outside – a spectator, but up close and right within the action.

He watched Chan's face go from horror to a mixture of shock and surprise. As the slow reaction caught up with Chan, his bloody face slowly went from shock to nothing, all emotion fading as he was launched from the ring.

Zell had killed him. There was no doubt in his mind.

Gripping his head with lifeless hands, he bellowed his sadness and rage towards the darkness, which enveloped him once more.

*          *            *

Back in the real world, the place was in pandemonium.

Officials swarmed the ring, moving up to Selphie and Zell to study their reactions and to see if they were actually alive. They crowded around the two SeeDs, groping at their bodies, wanting to be the first to study these fine magical specimens.

The crowd was in an uproar. People were disappointed at the destruction of their recording equipment, whilst the other half wanted to see more of the stuff that Zell had shown. The ushers and security officials had their hands full trying to keep the spectators in their seats.

To add to the confusion, several gunshots rang out, and everybody ducked as Irvine jumped from his seat and onto the ground, his Vincent Valentines blasting in the air as he ran towards the ring, people running from him as if he had the plague.

Several security officials stood in his way just before he got to the edge of the ring. "Sir! Put down the weapons and move away from the ring!" one screamed, raising a hand with a Fire spell fully charged and ready.

Irvine slowed the sprint to a causal walk, his hands now twirling the Vincent Valentines with precision and speed, the guns a blur in his hands. "I've defeated two Sorceresses with these guns, my friends…" he growled, his voice barely audible over the screams and yells of the crowd. "If you think you're piddling magic can stop me, then go right ahead and try!"

The man hesitated…before drawing his hand back and throwing the Fire spell with all the strength he could muster.

Irvine smirked. "Fool…" he muttered, the twirling guns blasting the spell out of the air without seeming to slow down.

The men looked at each other – and bolted. They weren't getting paid enough to take on a guy of this calibre.

Irvine stepped up onto the ring and walked over to where the officials began to take Selphie and Zell off. They stopped as they saw Irvine walking towards them. One stepped forward. "Look, son – " was all he got out, before a gunshot echoed around the grandstands, a blossom of blood appearing in the mans left leg. He fell, howling, and Irvine stood tall, his smoking guns levelled at the group of men.

"I am these people's bodyguard, and I'm here to protect them from any foul play from within the tournament." He gestured with the handguns for the group of men to move to the left. "Step away from them. _Now!_"

The officials did as they were told, making enough room for Irvine to move to Zell and Selphie. Zell lay still, motionless; his body looking more bruised and mangled then it had looked up in the stands. Selphie was hyperventilating, the shock of a number of strange men suddenly poking and probing her body after such a huge amount of energy transfer too much for her to stand.

Irvine moved over to her, crouching down and cradling her head in his hands. "Selph? Selph, it's Irvy. Can you hear me? You've got to calm down honey. We need to get Zell to the Ragnarok."

Selphie seemed to calm a little at the sound of Irvine's voice, and looked up at him with wide eyes. "How…how is he?" she gulped, her breathing beginning to slow.

Irvine looked over at Zell. He still twitched every now and then, but apart from his initial wounds, didn't look too worse for wear. "We need to get him to the Ragnarok now.'

*          *            *

"Hold him down!!"

"I'm trying Selphie! He's pretty strong, you know!"

Selphie had managed to help Irvine carry Zell back to the Ragnarok, where they had placed him onto the bed in the infirmary. Selphie had recovered from the influx of energy just enough to help Irvine carry the unconscious warrior, before collapsing at the foot of the bed, exhausted. But now Zell was beginning to have another seizure, and Irvine was vainly trying to hold him down.

She stood on tired legs, and looked down at his convulsing form, thinking through the fog in her mind. "This will hold him for a little while…" Selphie drew her hands up above her head and allowed some power to form within them, the Time magic forming in a purple light around her fingertips. "Get out of the way!"

Irvine threw himself away from Zell and moved to the far edge of the room. Selphie pointed her fingers at Zell and screamed the word "Stop!"

A purple transparent clock materialised above Zell, the hands that ran a little faster then normal slowing down…then stopping. It then dissipated in a puff of purple light, and Zell remained frozen, his hands gripping the bed-sheets, his knees bent slightly, his head pulled back as his muscles complained at the lack of spiritual energy.

Selphie lowered her hands wearily, and pitched forward on a one-way trip to the floor – but Irvine caught her at the last second, hugging her to him tightly. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "I…I think I took too much from him…"

Irvine brushed a lock of chocolate brown hair from her sweat-covered brow and shook his head. "You did the right thing, babe. He'll be fine once his body calms down." He pressed her head against his chest, and looked over to Zell's frozen form. "When will the magic wear off?"

Selphie didn't look up. "I don't know. My magic levels are the highest they've ever been. It ought to wear off gradually, I think…" She yawned. "But…I don't know…when…"

Irvine looked down at her. "I think it's time you got some sleep, huh? I think Zell will be able to take care of himself for now…"

*          *            *

Irvine pressed the close door stud, the door to Selphie's quarters closing silently. He had tucked her into bed with little resistance, pulling her boots off with no complaint. In fact, she had seemed to enjoy the pampering, snuggling into the sheets wearily, wrapping a weak arm around a Moomba doll. He had shook his head with a smile, finding the fact that she still slept with the stuffed animal amusing. She was almost twenty, for Hyne's sake!

He turned from the closed door and walked down the corridor, his boots clacking against the metal floor, the echo carrying around the empty ship effortlessly. He shoved his hands into his pockets and leant against a wall, letting out a long, slow breath.

Hyne…I've never seen Zell do that before! And the way Selphie simply jumped out of her chair…it was like something out of a movie…

He shook his head. _And now our cover is most defiantly blown. I don't even think the officials will allow Zell to proceed with the tournament…_

He walked into the pilot room, and sat down in the co-pilot's seat. Fro some reason he felt drained, like he had been running for hours on end. Moving the convulsing Zell to the infirmary and then trying to not let him hurt himself had taken more out of him then he thought…

*          *            *

He awoke suddenly to feel a vibration in one of his pockets, and pulled out the Ragnarok's locking mechanism. _Did I fall asleep? Someone wants to come in, hey? _He pressed a button on the square control, and a picture came onto its tiny screen.

It was President Justice, flanked by his security detail. The old man looked worried.

Irvine grimaced. He didn't like the old man. The way he had authorised the selection process was almost…inhuman. He raised the little box to his lips and spoke. "Who is it?" he asked casually, pressed a little stud on the side of the box, much like a military radio.

One of the security personnel spoke up. "President Justice wishes to see Zell Dincht."

"Well, Zell is slightly indisposed right now, but when he's able to string words together I think he'll be more then happy to talk."

The man looked up at the camera. "I don't think you understand, sir. _President Justice_ wants to see _Zell Dincht_."

"And I don't think you understand, man! Zell isn't seeing anybody until he is up and walking around, ok?!"

The man turned to President Justice and traded some words with him, before turning back to the intercom. "Then you give us no choice." A man beside the camera suddenly produced a handgun, and Irvine saw a flash before static filled the screen.

"Shit!" He yelled, throwing the device to the floor and running for the main doors, popping the spent clips from his Vincent Valentines and slamming fresh ones in, chambering the rounds.

*          *            *

When he got to the doorway several toughs clad in suits, wielding sub-machine guns, met him. He didn't trade pleasantries at first – he simply shot them.

He hit two and managed to shoot the third in the back as he turned and ran down the ramp. "Execute counter-measures!" the man screamed, before a bullet lodged itself in his shoulder, causing him to fall twisting to the ground.

Several other men came running up the ramp, firing wildly with their repeating guns. Irvine jumped backwards, his guns blazing between his legs; the yellow flames reporting from the barrels coinciding with the puffs of red as the bullets hit the guard's square in the chests. Irvine hit the ground on his back and followed with a roll, coming to his feet. Looking down at the guns in his hands, he saw that the slides were clicked back. They were empty.

A grenade was thrown in over the dead bodies, and Irvine's eyes widened as he saw what it was. Red and trembling, the grenade suddenly erupted in red fire, seeming to expand and grow.

Irvine popped the clips for his handguns as the Bomb grew to full height, the floating fireball grinning manically with red-hot teeth. Turning the gun's clips to face his sleeves, tiny IR ports built into the wrist holsters and into the gun hilts acknowledged the empty chambers and two clips sprang from the catches within his sleeves, slamming into the clip chambers.

Irvine released the slides from their lock-back positions and rolled to the left as the Bomb rammed at him, slamming into a metal wall. Irvine cringed as he saw the indent from where the Bomb crashed begin to melt. _Laguna is going to kill us…_ he thought as he levelled the guns at the round ball of rock and flame, the guns flaring as round after round blasted pieces off the Bomb's rocky hide.

Twitching and tumbling through the air as the bullets continued to slam into it, the Bomb turned and flew at Irvine once more, flying over the evasive gunslinger to twirl gracefully outside.

Irvine looked down at the Vincent Valentines in his hands. _I'll never be able to kill it with these. _

Irvine took the opportunity to let the handguns retract back into his sleeves and run to a small box strapped to the wall next to the opening of the Ragnarok. Punching it with a hand, the cover flew off, revealing a new and improved Mark Dincht. Irvine had been working on it ever since he had unintentionally destroyed it fighting Edea, and had only recently finished it.

Pulling it from the felt casing, he grabbed a handful of bullets from a certain ammo pouch and expertly loaded it, taking less then two seconds. Flipping the lever action rifle over his hand, a bullet chambering as he flipped it, he caught it expertly with his hand and waited for the Bomb to come back in.

He didn't need to wait long. The round monster flew straight into the Ragnarok with murder in it's burning orbs that passed as eyes, and Irvine could do nothing but gasp as he saw how big it had grown.

A Bomb monster grew bigger the more you inflicted damage upon it, and this Bomb had barely been able to fit through the Ragnarok's opening. The giant monster dwarfed Irvine, radiating heat, dripping molten lava from it's gaping jaws. Irvine had to kill it now – otherwise it would self-destruct, taking the Ragnarok and everybody in it with it.

Rasing the Dincht to his shoulder, he blasted the monster. The special ammo he had grabbed, bullets made out of ice, slammed into the monsters hide, causing the massive ball of fire to scream shrilly, the intense cold causing it to shrink more and more.

He levered cold shells from the barrel as he shot it again and again, the icy shells melting almost as soon as they tinkled to the floor, until the monster lay on the ground, no bigger then a soccer ball, mewling pitifully.

Irvine, for all he was worth, could only put it out of it's misery. Walking right up to it, he placed the barrel of the Dincht to it's now mostly rocky hide and squeezed the trigger.

The monster shattered into a thousand pieces as the bullet blew it to wherever monsters go when they die, and Irvine breathed a sigh of relief – before the Dincht was shot out of his hands, a bullet smashing into the chamber of the gun, rendering it useless.

Irvine grimaced, annoyed that almost four years of work had been destroyed in an instant, before forgetting about it as he dodged the hale of bullets coming his way. The Vincent Valentines dropped into his hands again, and he returned fire before ducking into a maintenance room as the docking bay suddenly became too dangerous to be in.

"What's up with this, Pres?" Irvine yelled over the gunshots, craning his hand around the doorway and blasting wildly. "Since when does the President of Galbadia come in with guns blazing?!"

"Believe me, Mr. Kinnes it would have been easier if you had simply allowed us to board under your own steam." Was the calm reply.

"I'm beginning to see what you're like, Justice! You're no different then Deling!" He yelled back after sending several bullets towards the group of toughs.

There was a scuffling and a yell from outside, before Justice suddenly burst into the room, grabbing Irvine by his coat and slamming him into the ground.

"_I'm nothing like that sadist!_" the old man screamed, his security detail swarming the room, all guns pointed at Irvine. _"Deling wouldn't have been able to run this country for any longer! I will bring peace to this country!"_

He had been taken by surprise by the old man, who was red in the face from the accusation, but that hadn't stopped Irvine from digging the guns into the old man's stomach. "What about the selection? That sounds like something Deling would do to me." He muttered, safe in the fact that he safe as long as the guns remained on the President. "What about now? Barging in without invitation?"

The old man's face went from a furious red to a sad and tired grey. "You think I enjoyed hearing that news? I didn't even set up the selection! I left it in the hands of the coordinators for the fight…" he narrowed his eyes. "Who still seem to think that they have the control they used to have with Deling. And if you had some manners, I wouldn't have to resort to these kinds of dealings! All I wanted to do was see a friend!"

"Then why didn't you stop the selection?"

"What was I supposed to do?! I'm the President, but I'm still human! Do you think they tell me everything?!"

Irvine looked up at the old man with narrowed eyes…but withdrew the guns, allowing them to slip back into his sleeve holsters. He allowed the old man to stand and straighten his tie, and watched as the security detail put away their sub-machines guns and walked out. "Ok, fine. Maybe I over-reacted." Irvine muttered. "I'm sorry."__

"Don't worry about it. My men will be revived. They've been trained in receiving damages." He straightened his tie once more. "Now that's over, I'd like to see Zell, if you wouldn't mind." Said the President softly, with dignity.

*          *            *

After the reassurance that the bodyguards wouldn't be allowed on the Ragnarok again, Irvine gave President Justice the two-cent tour.

Irvine found that the more he talked to the old man, the more he seemed like a nice guy. He was gentle in some ways, yet clumsy in others. He was like a mixture of Squall and Zell – open and warm like Zell, but intelligent and precise like Squall. As they moved through the many rooms in the Ragnarok, he asked questions and made observations, most of which Irvine found himself trying to answer to the best of his abilities.

Most of the questions, however, were answered with "Ah…I guess you'll have to asked Selphie about that."

"And how is Miss Tilmett? She didn't seem all that well when she tried to heal Zell." The President said as they moved through some corridors.

"Well…you see, Mr. President…"

"Please, call me Justice.

"Well…Justice…She had a little overload of power. She's sleeping right now."

"Ah…but it was a spectacular fight, was it not?"

Irvine grinned and tipped his hat up. "Yes it was, sir. Yes it was. I've seen Zell in action, but that fight has tipped the scale on what I've seen him perform so far."

"Yes…I too have seen many a good fight, and that has been one of the best I've seen in…years!"

"How's the tournament going so far?" Irvine asked.

Justice smirked, his face wrinkling more then usual. "Pale by comparison to the first fight."

Irvine grinned. "I thought so…so, will Zell be allowed to continue in the tournament?"

President Justice halted, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Well…I talked to the judges, and I managed to convince them that the abilities that Zell showed were within the regulations of the tournament…so he will be allowed to advance."

Irvine pumped his fist into the air. "Excellent!! Thank you so much! Zell will be over the moon!!"

Justice smiled warmly. "Well, lets go see the fighter, shall we?"

*          *            *

The dreams receded slowly from Zell's mind, the horrified face of Chan burrowing deep into memory as someone shook Zell awake. He opened his eyes wearily, the light hurting them. He had a black eye as well, reducing his vision by half. He couldn't remember getting that. "What?" he mumbled. "What's going on?"

"Zell?" A warm, old voice asked. "How are you feeling, son?"

"Like someone chewed me up and spat me out…who are you?"

"This is President Justice, Zell. Do you remember me?"

Zell frowned his bruised brow, the action causing even more pain. "I'm sorry, Mr. President. I…can't see very well at the moment."

"That's fine, Zell." The disembodied voice replied. "I came to see you as soon as I could. I just wanted to see if you were alright."

"Well, as soon as Selphie gets off her lazy backside and heals me up, it'll be like it never happened."

Someone cleared his throat, and Zell turned his head to try and see who it was. "Irvine? Where's Selphie?"

Irvine, or someone that smelled like Irvine, lots of leather, gunpowder and expensive cologne, came and crouched next to Zell's bed. "You…you had a lot of power stored up, man. She…she could barely contain it."

Zell lowered his head to the pillow once more, letting it sink in as well as the information. "Is she…?"

"She's fine. She just needed to get some rest. I'll check up on her right now, 'kay? I'll be right back."

Irvine stood and moved out of the room, leaving Zell alone with the President. The old man cleared his throat, and began to speak when Zell beat him to the punch. "How long have I been out for?"

President Justice cleared his throat. "About seven or so hours, Irvine said. Selphie had to cast Stop on you to make the convulsions stop. You took a lot out of you're friends, using that much energy."

Zell would have scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment if his arm could move. "They are good friends…all I did was underestimate Chan's strength…I won't do that again."

"So…you're going to continue in the tournament?"

The way the question was asked surprised Zell, as if President Justice wanted Zell to quit. _Are you capable of ordering an assassination? _Zell thought to himself, as he tried not to let the surprise show. "Of course. As soon as I get out of this bed, I'll be ready for action."

"Well…that's good." Again the distant voice. It literally screamed _don't go on!_ "Do you still want to have dinner in Deling tonight?"

Zell grinned, surprised at the pain the simple procedure gathered. "Sure! I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Well, if you can't make it…you know, because of your injuries…then don't hesitate to cancel."

Once more, the hesitant voice. "Mr. President, it sounds like you don't want me to come to dinner with you." Zell said softly.

Incredulity. "Of course not, my boy! I would be delighted to have you over! It's just…from my perspective…it looks like you're injuries will take more then a day to heal…"

Zell snorted. "Pfff. When Selphie gets here, I'll be fixed faster then a Garden at FH."

The President laughed at the joke. "Well, at least your sense of humour hasn't been damaged." The old man stood "Well, I suppose I'd better leave you to it, then. I'd better get back to the tournament. Come to the Presidential house at about seven. Bring you're friends if you wish."

"Wait!"

"Yes?"

Zell hesitated. "Hows…how's Chan? Is he…you know…"

"Dead?" The President prompted. "He was…but the Esthar team was able to revive him. He said he will continue to watch the tournament, rather then go home. He said he wanted to study you're techniques, so the both of you would have a better fight next time you got together in the ring."

"I think I've had enough of Estharians for a while, to tell the truth…but if you see him, say hi for me. And sorry."

The old man chuckled. "I doubt I will see him, but if I do, then I shall do as you asked. Seven o'clock don't forget." And with that, the President of Galbadia walked out of the room.  
Zell tried to settle back into his bed, relieved with the news, but too many things rebounded in his brain. _What's with the cold shoulder I just got? Does he suspect out why we're really here? Or is he just scared of me?_ He lay there deliberating, a thousand questions rolling around in his brain, the want to talk to someone suddenly appealing to him more then ever. _Irvine? Selphie? Where are you guys?_

The questions were quelled as he heard the door open and close softly. "Selphie? Is that you?"

"Not exactly…" A voice said. A voice that wasn't Selphie.

"What the hell…who are you?" Zell asked, suddenly aware of his current condition. _Oh crap. Defenceless. Not cool._

"I know why you're here." The voice said. It sounded distinctly mutual, as if it wasn't male or female. _He…or she…must be using one of those voice distorters that came on the black market a year ago,_ Zell thought. Zell could see, with one blurry eye, a dark blob leaning over him. "You wont stop me in completing my mission. The old man will die…wether you like it or not. And you will not be able to stop me."

"If you're so sure that you will be able to kill him, then why don't you just kill me now?" Zell spat. "I'm right here! Take me out!"

The person seemed to pause. "No…as much as it would help me to make sure you and your friends were dead, I don't think I want to kill you at this moment." The assassin paused once more. "I want to fight you. Not just fight you…beat you. I want to see you on you're knees, begging for mercy. A great Sorceress Hero, begging me to finish him off."

"What the hell for?"

"After seeing what you can do this morning, I think you know. I want to gather the ultimate rush, an adrenaline high unlike any other. You SeeDs call it…Limit Break."

Zell's working eye widened slightly. _This person wants to experience a Limit Break? What the hell?! _"You don't just get a Limit Break…it takes years of training, discipline…"

"Bullshit!" The assassin spat suddenly. "All it takes is a good battle and the will to survive, the will that overrides anything you've been taught…something you'd know too well, Zell. After all…My Final Heaven has been known as the strongest fighting technique in the world…"

"You want to experience My Final Heaven?!" Zell said incredulously. "Then you got a death wish! No ones gone up against My Final Heaven and lived!"

The assassin snorted. "I think I have what it takes. After all…it's not completely omnipotent, right?"

Zell said nothing. Every time he had been forced to use My Final Heaven, the resulting destruction had taken it's toll on him. Usually in property damage world-wide, but also in physical damage. Zell's body was forced to move so fast, it usually collapsed under itself after the technique was performed, folding like a house of cards. 

And, in knowing the attack, he knew it's weaknesses. If a person could…somehow…dodge the attack, then Zell was wide open for the kill. It was meant to be a finishing attack…not a mid-battle manoeuvre.

"Well, I think I'll leave you to heal. I'll be seeing you around, Zell. Remember, I'll have my eye on you." And with that, the assassin left the room, allowing the door to slide closed behind him or her.

Zell grimaced, rage building within him. _So close! The guy was so close, close enough to touch! And I was powerless to do anything!! I'm so useless! Well, not any more! I'm coming after you, you son of a bitch!_

Weakly pulling the sheets off his body, Zell rolled off the bed and collapsed to the floor, the pain in his legs and arms burning like all the fires of hell. It was like Ifrit had grabbed him by the arms and legs and set them alight. Zell fought through the pain, however, and crawled to the door, his bruised and puffy face set, rage giving him strength.

Making it to the door, leaning pitifully against it, he reached up weakly and pressed the open stud. The door opened immediately, allowing Zell to fall through and collide with the floor of the corridor.

He saw the blobby shape of someone moving down the corridor, and then turn a corner. Grasping a supporting pole lining the wall, Zell managed to pull himself to his feet, his body feeling like it weighed as much as ten Iron Giants.

"Come on…Zell…" He muttered through gritted teeth. "One…step…at…a…time…"

Shakily, he put one foot forward, and began to shift his weight to it slowly. Pain shot up the tired limb, and he cried out with pain and anger and disgust, not wanting to believe how weak he had become.

Somehow he made his way to the end of the corridor, putting one hobbled foot after the other, but by the time he got to the end, the person had been long gone. "Hyne…he could have…walked from the…ramp to my room…and back five times in …the time it took me to get here…" Zell muttered in disgust, sinking to his knees in defeat. 

He was breathing heavily, and felt like he had just gone one on one with Ultimicia again. Someone had removed his bones and replaced them with barbed wire. Sweat dripped off his face. He could taste blood in his mouth.

"Zell?!" He heard footsteps clacking behind him, and someone placed a gentle hand on his shoulder as he flopped to the floor. He looked up with his blurry good eye to see someone yellow. "Zell! Hyne, what are you doing out of bed!" Selphie gasped, the usual happiness in her voice replaced with a shocked and worried tone.

"The…the assassin…" Zell mumbled, relieved that someone was here to help. "He…was here…"

Selphie tried to pick the warrior up, grunting with exertion as she tried to lift him up, but couldn't even roll him over. "Hyne you're heavy…" she muttered tiredly. "…I don't have enough strength…to get you to the infirmary…"

"The assassin…know why we're here…spoke to me…" Tears formed in his eyes, and he began to cry. "…I…(hic)…so close…so close…(hic)…to him…(hic)" He couldn't string his words together, and simply bowed his head in shame, allowing his body to go limp.

Selphie brushed a lock of blond hair from his brow and wiped some sweat off his face with the hem of her short skirt. "We'll…we'll wait for Irvine to get back…I'm not quite ready to use magic right now…" She said. "I'm a…little weary myself…we'll just wait for Irvine, and then…we'll talk about it…"

*          *            *

Zell and Selphie had sat in the corridor for fifteen minutes, not a word spoken between them, before Irvine turned the corner casually. In his hands were two trays – food for the wounded, coughed up by the processor in the Ragnarok's tiny kitchen – which he promptly dropped, the gravy-covered meat splattering against the floor as he bolted for his friends and girlfriend. "Hyne! What happened to you two?! I thought you were in bed?!"

Zell looked up at Irvine with his good eye and sighed. "We've been had." He said, recovered from the exertion of moving. "The assassin was here. Here! I could have gotten him if I wasn't so banged up…"

"Here?!" Irvine exclaimed, moving to Selphie and checking to see if she was all right, before moving over to Zell. "What do you mean, 'here'? On the Ragnarok?!"

"Yeah. Whoever it was, he was using one of those voice distorters so I couldn't tell who it was…and he must've known about the injuries to my eyes, otherwise he wouldn't have bothered…although I'm pretty sure he was wearing a mask, anyways…"

Irvine lifted Zell up, putting his arm under his shoulder and draping Zell's arm over his shoulder. "How do you know it's a he?"

"I don't! I'm just guessing, man. But, once we check the Ragnarok surveillance recordings, we'll be able to tell…"

Selphie stood wearily. "I'd better heal him up." She said quietly. "The faster he's on his feet, the better we can work on this."

Irvine nodded, and they made their way back to the infirmary.

*          *            *

Green light dissipated from Zell's body, and he opened his eyes, blinked, and rubbed them. He felt like he had slept for a hundred years. "Woo…I feel like a million Gil. No…a billion Gil!" He looked over at Selphie, who was grinning down at him. "Wow Selphie…what's your magic level?"

Selphie shrugged, taking her hands back from Zell's bare chest. "I dunno. Last time I checked, it was pretty high. But I guess the energy I drew from you has boosted it."

"Rad! I feel like I could take on twenty T-Rexaurs!!" He swung his legs off the bed and sat on the edge, pulling off his shirt. He looked down at it. It had gotten pretty tatty and messy during the fight. He could feel the coagulating blood and dried sweat on his face and body. "I'm gonna need a shower and things, guys. Do you mind?"

Irvine, leaning next to the door, waved his hand. "Nah, man. Take you're time." He moved over to Selphie and helped her up. "We'll just go and give you a little space, 'kay?"

"Thanks man." Zell watched as they moved out, Selphie resting her head tiredly on Irvine's chest, and felt a sudden pang to talk to Angel. He realised with a shock that since he had gotten to the tournament that he hadn't thought of her at all. _Is that bad? He thought to himself as he threw his shirt into a corner. __…Nah, of course not. I've had a lot on my plate, that's all._

*          *            *

Dressed in his SeeD uniform for the dinner, the dressiest thing he had to wear, Zell tried not to fidget. He hated wearing long pants – he never got the hang of having the whole of his legs covered. He wanted the familiar sneakers and shorts combo that he usually wore. Granted, he thought he looked pretty spiffy when he wore the SeeD uniform…but it still made him feel like a pre-schooler forced to wear something he didn't want to.

Selphie loved her uniform. The dark blue silk material, the shiny bright metal buttons, the chain that was worn with the coat – she loved it all. As usual, her uniform came with a skirt – short enough to be fashionable, long enough to be unrevealing. Ever since she became a SeeD she wore it to every special occasion that she could wear it to.

Irvine, never one to dress up, had simply decided to wear one of his silk shirts, instead of his usual cotton, with his leather coat and riding pants and boots. He had left the shotgun back on the Ragnarok, as well as one of the Vincent Valentines, but had his left Vincent placed in a holster strapped to his belt, and had a small derringer stuffed into his left boot. He never went anywhere unarmed. 

Thus dressed, the trio made their way up the Deling city boardwalk, the masses of people a welcome sight. Fresh people, not wanting to see blood and death, like the spectators at the fight. These people were ordinary city-folk.

The SeeDs had about an hour to get to the Presidential House, so they stopped in at a small café opposite the weapon store and sat down for some drinks.

As Selphie went off to get the sodas, Irvine leant close. "Are you sure you still want to do this? Like I said, this might all be Justice's doing!!"

Zell rolled his eyes and sighed. "Look, man, just because he was the last person I saw, doesn't mean it was him. I mean, the cameras showed that none of his personal came on board after the fight at the ramp, and he left pretty promptly after we spoke. I estimate that it was a good fifteen minutes after he left that the person spoke to me. Plenty of time for someone to sneak aboard, deliver their little 'message', and get out, as well as deactivating the surveillance along the way."

When the SeeDs had checked the records of the surveillance cameras, all the cameras recording the pathway to the infirmary had been tampered with, and there had been no sign of any other entry to the Ragnarok nearer the infirmary.

"Which means that; A. it might have been someone we know, B. it might be someone that President Justice knows, C. It was some random dude, or D. it was one of us." Irvine muttered, counting the ideas on one hand. "Well, I sure know that I don't want Laguna dead, and judging by the ordeal that you and Selphie had this morning, you guys don't want him dead either." He shrugged and sighed, resting his chin in his hands. "Maybe you dreamt it, man. I mean, could 'delirious with pain' be a factor?"

Zell shook his head firmly. "No way, dude. This guy was real…all I could see was dark clothing…he was about my height, maybe a few inches taller…but apart from that, zip." Zell punched his left palm with his right fist. "If only he had not used that Hyne-damned voice controller…I could tell who it was."

Irvine shrugged. "Don't beat yourself up about it man. Like I said, there's no point in worrying about it."

Zell snorted. "Easy for you to say. Your not the one who still has four rounds of pain to go through."

"Hey, you have physical pain to go through – you know what kind of mental anguish Selphie and I go through watching you get your butt whooped? It isn't a walk in the park, that's for sure."

Selphie returned with drinks, sodas for Zell and Irvine and a chocolate milkshake for her. She handed out the drinks and sat down. "So…this is going to be some kind of party thing, huh?" she asked, sipping her shake with a straw.

"Huh?" Zell said in surprise. "No…Justice said nothing about it being a party."

"What do you mean?" Selphie said, equally confused. "I asked the lady at the counter where the Presidential house was, and she asked if we were going to the party tonight. I gave her the 'I'm not buying what your selling' look, and she told me that President Justice is holding a banquet for all the people who qualified for the second round of the tournament."

Irvine looked at Zell with a deadpan expression. "Didn't see this coming, did you Zell?"

Zell shook his head, his eyes wide. "No…I thought it would just be the four of us. He said he wanted to talk about Grampa…" He shrugged. "Oh well. At least I get to size up the competition now, rather on the spot tomorrow." He cracked the top off his soda and took a swig. "Oh, hey, the White SeeDs will be there too. I want to see how they went in the tournament as well."

Irvine shrugged, opening his soda too. "I dunno, man…I mean, the girl seems ok, and I've met the dude in the wheelchair…but that Grey guy gives me the heebie-jeebies."

Selphie continued to suck on her straw, looking up at the boys as they deliberated about why and why not Justice could be behind the assassination. She didn't know exactly wether or not the old man was capable of such a heinous act against Sir Laguna – she had never met President Justice – but from what she had heard of him, he seemed like a nice enough guy.

*          *            *

When the finally got to the Presidential house, a Galbadian solider ran a metal wand over their bodies, looking for any weapons on their persons. 

The wand beeped shrilly when it neared Irvine's belt, and the soldier stepped back a little. "Please take off you're coat, sir."

Irvine smirked, taking off the heavy leather coat and unclipping the holstered handgun, handing it to the soldier. "I'll be wanting that back tonight…" Irvine read the mans nametag. "…Wedge, so keep an eye on it."

"Yes, Mr. Kinnes." Wedge said, saluting him and placing the gun in the box with all the other confiscated items that he had gathered from other guests.

Irvine frowned, before being pulled along by Selphie. "How did that bell-hop know my name?" He muttered, confused.

Selphie and Zell rolled their eyes. "Oh come on. 'Biggs n' Wedge'. The Galbadian double. We had to beat them several times whilst in Galbadia." Zell said with a grin. "Even _I remember that."_

Irvine frowned…before snapping his fingers in remembrance. "Ohhh, _those weaklings! I'm amazed they're still alive."_

Moving through a hallway with a rich red carpet, the walls adorned with famous faces and former Presidents, the SeeDs walked through two double doors into an enormous ballroom, fully decked out with long drapes and chandeliers. In one corner was a dance floor, which was half full with happy couples and laughing friends, the other corners consisted of round tables, covered in white with large floral centrepieces.

It seemed that there were certain places for the people to sit, and as the SeeDs walk in, they saw the President standing with his daughter by his side, greeting the guests as they came in.

Zell, Selphie and Irvine walked up to the President, Zell wiping his hand on his slacks before shaking the old man's hand. "Mr. President…you didn't tell me that this would be a dancing occasion."

The old man laughed. "Sorry if you got the wrong idea, my friend. I thought it best to invite all the people going to the next round for a party, instead of inviting a select few. This way, we all get to know each other, no bad rivalry between people. It's good to see you in good health." He looked down at Selphie. "And you must be Miss Tilmett." He said, taking her hand and kissing the back of it. "That was a very brave thing that you did today. Zell is lucky to have a friend like you."

Selphie giggled and went red in the face, taking her hand away and moving to stand behind Irvine shyly. The President stood tall when addressing the gunslinger. "Irvine. I'm glad to see that you could make it also. No bad business with the door-guard, I hope?"

Irvine shook the old mans hand and shrugged. "He did have to take something…I never go anywhere unarmed."

"The mark of an excellent shootist." The President said, before looking down at Selphie, who peeked shyly from around Irvine's back.

"We're together." Irvine explained with a smile. "She's kinda shy sometimes – but when she loosens up, you can't shut her up!" he said with a smile, before a punch in the small of his back caused him to grimace, and to cause the President to laugh out loud.

Zell walked over to Clara, who was dressed in a one-piece silver ball gown. Complete with diamond earrings and necklace, she looked nothing short of beautiful. "Good evening, Clara." Zell said politely, wiping his hand on his slacks and holding it out.

"Good evening." She replied, shaking his hand evenly. "You're fight was spectacular. I hope that we will meet in the ring soon."

Zell grinned and put his hands in his pockets. "Not one to mess about with idle chatter, are you?"

"Unlike you, Mr. Dincht, I have been brought up with discipline. I live for a challenge. To tell the truth, I'd rather not be here tonight…I'd rather be training."

Zell scratched the back of his neck in dismay. "You know, you should learn to lighten up. You only live once, you know."

The girl looked at Zell with cold eyes, and Zell swore he saw something flash inside them - before looking away. "Please move on, Mr. Dincht. You are holding up the line." She said quietly.

Zell moved on, allowing her her space. He sighed as he moved through the crowd. If she wanted to pull a Squall on him, then that's fine. He knew that she wasn't made of stone. All she needed was a little friendly help, that's all.

But he wasn't here for that. He was here to prevent an assassination…one that her father might have had dealings with. And if that were true…then they probably _would fight._

But until then, Zell decided to give her as much space as she wanted.

"Zell!!"

Zell turned, eyebrow cocked, to see July running toward him, her blond hair flowing behind her. She was dressed in a blue dress with a long, flowing skirt, which glittered in the chandelier light. Her eyes were full of happiness as she ran up to him. "Wow! I'm surprised to see you here! I thought they would have disqualified you for sure after doing that in the fight!"

Zell looked down at her, speechless. She looked _stunning_. "Ah…nah, not me. Celebrity status and all, you know." He mumbled, scratching the back of his neck. _What the hell are you thinking, Dincht?_

Nothing. This girl is simply a friend. Get over yourself, stupid.

"Come on, you're seated in the same table as ours! All the SeeDs on one table! Mysterious, right?" She grabbed his hand and began to drag him across the room, babbling about how wonderful the room looked, at how she loved getting dressed up on occasions like this, and how everybody looked soooo good…

Finally reaching their seats, Zell found that he would be sitting next to her, the tiny nameplate sitting on his dinner-plate. _Zell Dincht._

"I've got to go find Grey, ok?" July said, letting go of Zells hand. "I'll be right back."

Zell watched her go, then sat down with a sigh. _Angel…I wish you were here…_

Sighing once more, he picked up his nameplate and fiddled with it, turning it in his hands. He turned his head to the side, frowning slightly, as he saw that there was more writing on the back. He opened the little piece of paper fully.

I'm watching you.

He lowered the piece of paper slowly, making sure to keep his face deadpan. Turing slowly in his seat, he scanned the room, looking for anything out of the ordinary.

He saw Irvine and Selphie, dancing along with the rest of the dancers, a fast Irish jig playing.

He saw Clara greeting the newcomers with simply shakes of hands and nods of heads.

He saw President Justice, also greeting guests.

He saw nothing out of the ordinary. Nobody was staring at him; nobody was about to jump out at him armed with a bread knife. The killer was going incognito. The message was simply there to show that he was comfortable with whom he was, and the power that he held over Zell. The element of surprise.

Zell jumped slightly as he felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to see Grey and July looking down at him. "What are you so jumpy for, Zell?" July asked curiously, Grey not saying anything.

Zell crumpled the nameplate in his hand and put it in his pocket. "Uh…nothing…just, not used to this kind of crowd, ya' know?"

Grey scoffed. "Come on. The great Sorceress Hunter gets cold feet when in a party? Ridiculous."

Zell smiled. "So, how are you, Grey? You won you're fight, obviously."

Grey simply smirked. July grinned. "He went up against one of the Galbadian brutes, beat him fare and square, too! I tell you, you should have seen the faces of the Galbadian team! It was like someone slapped them across the face with a Caterchipillar!!"

Zell chuckled at the joke, but looked at Grey with new eyes. _He's tougher then he looks…I hope I don't have to fight him._

"So, Sorceress Hunter, are you going to regal us with fascinating tales of adventure and excitement tonight?" Grey asked sarcastically, draping himself into a seat next to the SeeD.

Zell smiled and rolled his eyes. "Only if you're a good boy."

Grey took the jab graciously, smiling coldly and pouring himself a drink of water into one of the crystal goblets. July frowned. "Grey! Be nice, will you?"

Zell waved a hand. "Nah, it's alright, July. I deal with the cold, sarcastic types every day…" He said with a smile, looking Grey directly in the eye. "You know, you reminded me of someone. At first, I thought it was Squall…but the more I think about it, the more I think you seem like Seifer…"

Grey smirked – then laughed out loud. "Ha! You're comparing me to that warmonger?!"

Zell leaned forward and made a steeple with his fingers. "I never said you are alike…you just seem to act more like him, that's all…too uppity, too full of yourself…and believe me when I say, watch yourself."

Grey sipped the cool water and placed the goblet down slowly. "Or what, Sorceress Hunter?" he said, his voice almost a hiss, his finger running round and around the edge of the glass methodically.

Zell narrowed his eyes. "Or you'll find out that you're not as strong as you think you are."

Grey looked at him for a longer second, his eye narrowed, his finger still running round and around the edge of the glass – before July pulled Zell up from his seat. "Ooo, I love this song! Will you dance with me?"

Zell smiled down at her. "Sure." He nodded to Grey. "Grey."

"Zell."

The two SeeDs walked over to the dance floor, and Zell listened to the song announced to be played by the band. "'Eyes On Me'…that brings back memories…" He said as he put one hand on July's slim hip and grasped her other hand in the perfect waltz position.

"Really?" July asked, looking up at him. "Why's that?"

Zell smiled. "Well…I kinda knew the person who wrote it…or, I know someone who knew the person who wrote it…" He shrugged. "It's kinda complicated, but the point is, I love it. Nice and slow, you can just let the music pick you up and move you…"

Zell suddenly realised that their dance had gone from a waltz position to a mushy position, July wrapping her arms around his hips, burying her head in his chest. He felt a little shock and surprise, but fell into the rhythm of the music all the same, draping his hands around her. _What the hell._ He thought. _It's not as if you're married to Angel or anything…besides, it's just a dance. What harm could a dance do?_

July sighed contently. "Do you know the words?"

Zell raised his eyebrows. "I do, actually. It was originally a song, no words, but then Julia wrote words for it…"

"Can you sing it for me?"

Zell cocked an eyebrow. "Uh…you sure you wanna hear me sing? I mean, I'm no soprano, you know…"

She looked up at him with big blue eyes, the kind you find hard to say no to. "Please?"

Zell smiled down at them. _What the hell…_ He whispered them softly into her ear, the words mingling with the song, the verses coming back to him even as he said them.

_My last night here for you,_

_Same old song, just once more_

_My last night here with you?_

_Maybe yes, maybe no…_

_I kind of liked it your way,_

_How you shyly placed your eyes on me,_

_Oh, did you ever know_

_That I had mine on you_

_Darling, so there you are_

_With that look on your face_

_As if you're never hurt_

_As if you're never down_

_Shall I be the one for you_

_Who pinches you softly, but sure?_

_If frown is shown, then_

_I will know that you are no dreamer._

_So let me come to you_

_Close as I wanted to be_

_Close enough for me_

_To feel your heart beating fast_

_And stay there as I whisper_

_How I loved your peaceful eyes on me_

_Did you ever know,_

_That I had mine on you._

_Darling, so share with me_

_Your love if you have enough_

_Your tears if you're holding back_

_Or pain if that's what it is_

_How can I let you know_

_I'm more then the dress and the voice_

_Just reach me out, then_

_You will know that you are not dreaming_

_Darling, so there you are_

_With that look on your face_

_As if you're never hurt_

_As if you're never down_

_Shall I be the one for you_

_Who pinches you softly, but sure?_

_If frown is shown, then_

_I will know that you are no dreamer._

The song finished, and Zell cleared his throat. He hadn't sung the song in a long time. He only really listened to it alone. His mother had an original record of it. It was one of those things that he didn't want the gang to know about. It was slightly personal.

And he had no idea why he had sung it to the pretty creature in his arms.

(Author note: Writing this chapter, I got the feeling I needed to even out the score a bit, what with the big ass fight in the last chapter. You know, add a little suspense, add a little romance. Plus, I love 'Eyes On Me', by Eva Wong. The last part of the chapter goes for all you romance freaks out there. Now, one simple request – tell other people to read this fic. I mean, I checked my e-mails today, and when I saw three new reviews for FF8 Tournament, I immediately wrote this chapter, I was so excited. So please, Read & Review. It's not a hard thing to do. – Michael Kenny)


	9. Centra

Ch 9 - Centra

Zell remained in a melancholy mood for the rest of the night, only speaking when spoken to and eating lightly.

The next morning his mood hadn't lightened in the least.

The door of his quarters opened, Selphie standing in the doorway. A song was playing on the CD player quietly, but someone quickly shut it off with a press of a remote. 

Selphie and Irvine had walked back to the Ragnarok later on, and had found that Zell had gotten there before them. He had left early, his excuse being that he was tired. They had accepted it easily, seeing how he had gotten so anti-social after his dance.

"Zell…we're taking off now…we have to be at the Serengetti Plains before ten."

Zell lay on the bed, his back to the door. He didn't acknowledge her.

She moved into the room, the door sliding shut behind her. "Zell? Is something wrong?"

"Of course not." Zell muttered. "Everything's peachy. I've only got an assassination to stop, as well as watch my, your and Irvine's' backs. Not only that, the assassin knows who we are, and could strike at any time." He sighed. "Everything's fine."

Selphie came and sat on the edge of the bed, allowing him a little room. "Come on. What's really bugging you?"

She couldn't see it, but Zell rolled his eyes. "Isn't that enough for you?" he asked sharply, moving a little closer to the wall.

She frowned; annoyed that he wasn't opening up. "Come on! You're not worrying about the mission, otherwise you're be talking about it. What's really bugging you?!"

Zell heaved another sigh, rolled over, faced the girl, and looked her in the eye. "I think…July has a thing for me."

Selphie looked down at him, her expression deadpan – before she put a hand to her lips and giggled. "Really! I would have thought she was into the brainy types!"

Zell shook his head and rolled over again. Selphie frowned. "I'm sorry, Zell…it's just that, I wouldn't have thought that something as silly as a crush would affect you so much! I mean, you don't like her too…do you?"

Zell didn't move, but the tone of his voice gave him away. "And if I did?"

Selphie raised her head in recognition. He wasn't beating himself up because of the thought of some other girl going for him…he was worried that he might do something…out of character. "Do you love Angel?" she whispered.

Zell said nothing at first, before sighing. "I thought I did…she has this calming effect on me, ya know…like someone cast Water on the Firaga in my brain…but July just seems to draw something out of me…I tell her things I wouldn't even tell Angel…and I've known her what, a few days?" He gripped the bed sheets and balled his fist, the grip tightening. "I don't know what I'm feeling, Selphie. And I don't like it."

Selphie stood from the bed, and moved to the door, opening it. She moved out, before turning and placing her hand on the close door mechanism. She paused, before speaking. "Just follow what you're heart says, Zell. That's the best thing to do. But you must decide. You can't ask someone else for help on this one." With that, she closed the door, leaving Zell to himself.

"But…what do you do when you're heart's lost?" Zell mumbled, closing his eyes.

He slowly reached out for the CD player remote, picking in up and pressing a series of buttons, as if his fingers had memories. Eyes On Me began to play quietly, and Zell allowed his body to relax…

*          *          *

They finally got to the Serengetti Plains, the dry heat hitting them as they left the cool, air-conditioned interior of the Ragnarok. It was like walking into a wall of hot air, you're breath pushed out of you like a punch in the stomach.

Irvine took off his coat and threw it back into the Ragnarok, before slapping the seal mechanism, the large ramp slowly closing. Selphie and Zell were alright in the heat – they wore summer clothes, Zell in his usual black and blue shorts n tee combo, Selphie wearing her usual yellow one piece.

They had landed in the designated landing zone for all aircraft – several flying crafts sat in the boiling heat, lined up between one another – and the Ragnarok was still the best looking craft on the field. Again, the SeeDs drew stares as they walked away from it, Irvine casually aiming the 'beeper' at the giant dragon and pressing the lockdown switch, as if it was convertible. The small device emitted a 'beep-beep', and the dragon seemed to lower to the ground, the wings folding in on themselves. The SeeDs smirked as they walked on.

The fighting area was a mile or so to the west, but there was seating and refreshments to have at the area they were in now. All seating was covered, and Selphie and Irvine graciously sat down. Zell plonked into a chair next to them.

"I feel for you, man." Irvine said, wiping the beads of sweat from his fored. "You'll have to fight in this heat! Just make sure you drink plenty of water before you go out there."

Zell nodded. The heat didn't bother him that much. "Speaking of drinks, whose round is it?"

Selphie and Irvine looked at Zell with deadpan stares. "I got them at Obel Lake, and Selphie shouted us at Deling…so it's you're turn, dude." Irvine muttered, resting the top half of his body on the table, suddenly wanting a nice pair of shorts instead of the long leather riding pants he was wearing. Selphie rubbed his back in sympathy.

Zell shrugged, and stood. "Seems fair." He said. "Be back in the shake of a chocobo's tail-feather."

Walking through the food stands, Zell found a drink stand with little people milling around it. Walking up to it, he gathered the attention of one of the pretty girls behind the counter. "Uh…two Blizaga cool drinks and a bottle of water, thanks."

The girl quickly ran around to the fridge, opening the door and pulling out three bottles. Running back to him, she placed them on the counter and smiled at him. "Ten Gil, please, The water's free."

Zell, eyebrows raised, smiled at her. "Thankyou." He said to her as he reached into a pocket for some change. He frowned as he found there wasn't in that pocket, and began to pat down his pockets.

The girl watched all this, fidgeting with her apron, before she could not stand being silent any longer. "Are you…I mean, you're…I mean…you're the one from yesterday…" she paused, composing herself. "Zell Dincht, right?"

Zell, busy with finding the cash he had stashed on his person, glanced up at her. "Uh…yeah, that's me." He mumbled, finally finding a twenty Gil note stuffed into his back pocket. He reached up to her with it, to find her with her hands over her mouth, her eyes wide in shock and amazement. "What? Don't you have change for a twenty?" he asked, oblivious to her reaction.

"Oh. My. HYNE!" she screamed shrilly, making Zell jump. "You're him! Oh, wow! I never thought I'd ever actually meet you! Oh, wow! You ruled in the ring yesterday, I mean, that thing you did, it was amazing! I can't believe I'm talking to you, oh wow!!" she giggled once more and gestured for her workmate to come over. "Meryl! Guess who's here! Zell Dincht!!"

Meryl came bolting from the back of the shop, screeching to a halt as she saw who was standing, a little embarrassingly, in front of her. "Oh my Hyne!!" she gaped, clasping her hand over her mouth.

Zell smiled awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck. "Uh…" _Aiyaaa__, is this what it's like to be famous?_

"Please, Mr. Dincht, could you sign something for me?" The first girl asked.

"Uh…I suppose…" He patted down his pockets once more. "…I don't have a pen on me…"

"Here's one."

"Oh…thanks…so, where do I sign?"

The girl leaned forward, opening her blouse a little, revealing a lot of cleavage. "Here, if you don't mind."

Zell gulped, and then shrugged. "Eh, what the hell…" he muttered, reaching forward and signing the breast; _Zell Dincht_. "There you go." He said with a smile, replacing the cap of the pen and handing it back to her.

The two girls turned to each other and jumped up and down, laughing hysterically. Zell scratched the back of his neck. "Uh…can I pay now?"

"Oh, yes, or course!" Meryl said, running forward and taking the twenty from his outstretched hand. She ran the Gil through the cash register, and handed him back the change.

Diligent, Zell counted the change. "Hey…you've over changed me. I have fifteen Gil here." He reached up with the extra five. "Here you go."

Meryl backed away. "No, keep it! Just talking to you is good enough."

"Well, I can't take these drinks without paying you fully. I'll just leave this five Gil on the counter, ok?" With that, he placed the five Gil down, grabbed his drinks, and walked off.

He heard the girls giggling behind him as he moved on. "Cute, handsome, and he's really nice, too! Wow! I can't believe he signed my…" Was all he heard before he moved out of earshot.

He shook his head and let out a long breath, moving back the table. Selphie was resting her head on Irvine's back, Irvine still in the same position as he was when Zell left. "Where you been, man?" Irvine muttered in an annoyed tone. "We're drying up here."

Zell shrugged, slightly lost for words. "Uh…had a run in with some fans. Huh. I actually have fans."

Selphie smiled drunkenly in the heat, taking her soda from Zell gratefully and holding the can to her head. "Wow…'Zell Dincht, fan club'…never thought I'd ever hear those words in the same sentence."

Irvine snorted. "Yeah. Before long, there'll be a whole bunch of Dincht wannabes…Dinchtettes."

Their laughter died down, however, when a looming shadow blocked the sun. Zell shifted in his seat to look up at a bus of a man, muscles on his muscles, and smirked up at him. "Aiyaaa…but you're a big'un, aren't you?"

"You're Zell Dincht, correct?" The hulk said.

"The one and only."

"I'm Sheran Timlett. I'm you're next contestant."

Zell's eyes widened as he recognised who the massive guy was. "Hey…I know you…you're one of the Galbadian guys, right?"

The massive man nodded. "That's right."

"Man…how's you're friend? How's he coping with his defeat?"

Sheran smirked. "Why do you care? You're not going to be in the tournament much longer."

Zell smiled warmly. "What do you mean?"

The bulky Sheran leaned forward and poked Zell roughly in the chest. "I'm taking you out. And when we're done, you won't walk from the arena, you get me?"

Zell's smile didn't waver an iota. "Sure. You keep thinking that, man. I'll see you soon." And with that, he turned his back on the Galbadian, taking a swig of his water casually. 

His message delivered, the larger man turned and stomped away. Zell looked at Irvine with worried eyes. "He's gone, right?"

"Yeah."

Zell seemed to deflate, like a punctured tyre, his head bowing. "Aiyaaa, will the madness stop?"

"What?" Selphie asked, confused at his reaction.

"Why is it that whenever a tournament, or a sports game, or whatever…why is it that there is always someone who thinks he's the best?" He said, annoyed out of his mind.

"What?" Irvine asked. "There's always someone like that. Just don't let him get under his skin."

"He's not under my skin!" Zell spat. "Its just…why can't we get along?"

The three SeeDs looked at each other for a second, before bursting out in laughter, the tears running down their faces as the words sank in. They needed to lighten up. The events that had happened in the past few days had taken their toll on them…it was good to laugh at each other for a change.

*          *          *

Ladies and gentlemen, the first battle is about to begin. If you wish to view the fight, please move to the general seating, or go to you're private booths. Thankyou, and enjoy the fight.

"Who's fighting?" Irvine asked Zell as they moved to the viewing centre, a branch out from the eating stands and parking areas. Irvine had his arm draped around Selphie's shoulder. She was wearing his wide-brimmed hat, shading her petite face from the harsh sun. Sheen's of sweat adorned all the SeeD's faces. Growing up in the tropical climes wasn't the same as growing up in a desert.

Zell looked over to Irvine over Selphie's hat. "Uhhh…Grey and a Centraian called…Dol…Dolomi…Dolomatia Grenertia." He wiped a palm full of sweat from his fored and flinged it away, watching as it dampened the sand. "I wanna see the fight. I need to take a bead on how strong Grey actually is."

"Why?" Selphie asked, looking up at Zell from beneath the wide brim of the hat.

Zell shrugged and placed his hands in his pockets. "He…he just…seems like the kind of guy I need to keep my eye out for…that's all…"

"Zell…what has he done?"

Zell squirmed slightly. "Well…I mean, we were all feeling pretty angry after the selection…but, he said that Justice ought to watch his back a little more closely now that he was in the tournament…"

"Are you saying he threatened the President's life?"

"That's what I figured."

Irvine shook his head, his face twisted into a grimace. "Stupid…" He muttered, before looking down at the ground. He seemed to struggle for something to say, then gave up, looking up at the grandstands. "Hey, look at the size of that screen!"

A gigantic TV screen sat in the sunlight, masses of wires and cables running away from it to a makeshift generator, hidden behind. Several small and large satellite dishes lined the top, pointing in varied directions. The screen ran advertisements right now – soda commercials, food commercials, soap opera commercials.

"Wow…" Selphie gasped.

"That's the second biggest TV screen I've ever seen." Zell joked with a smirk.

They walked around the grandstand and mounted the steps, looking for some free seats. Someone called out their names. "Zell! Irvine! Selphie! Over here!"

Zell looked over to see July standing next to the wheelchair-bound Sam, waving them over. He turned to Selphie and Irvine, his face paling slightly. "I…I'll meet you guys later…I need another drink." Before they could object, Zell walked briskly away, moving back into the throng of people.

"What's eating him?" Irvine muttered, wiping sweat from his fored.

"I'll tell you later." Selphie replied, watching as the fighter melded with the crowd.

*          *          *

_What are you doing? Are you afraid of this girl?_ A dark voice muttered deep in his mind.

Kiss my ass, Diablo. A demon like you would never understand. Zell replied angrily.

_Ah, but in that, my master, you are wrong. I do have a semblance of feeling – hate, anger, jealousy, revenge._

_All of which are irrelevant in this situation._

_So why do you run so? What are you afraid of? Of beginning a relationship with this girl? Or is it something more…physical?_

Zell suddenly stopped in his tracks, next to a vending machine. "Just shut up, Diablo! Shut up!!" He screamed, smashing his fist into the machine, the metal frame buckling easily under the sudden attack. Cans of soft drink spewed from the opening in the bottom, and several fell from the damage sustained. Zell found himself breathing heavily as Diablos' laughter rang darkly in his mind, and he pulled the fist from the machine.

Blinking several times, Zell looked up to see almost everybody in the street staring at him, as if he was crazy. He frowned, wiped his face, and began to walk down the street once more. He heard the mutters as people passed him.

"Must be the heat…"

"Gone crazy…"

"Maybe one of those blows to the head knocked a few screws loose…"

He began to run, ducking and weaving through the crowd, the areas he could pas on foot, he simply jumped over, until he ran out of the set-up area, out into the desert. He continued to run, his mind ablaze with a fury he couldn't contain, and an torn feeling for two people.

His feet beginning to dig into the sand, he stopped, skidding to a halt, and fell to his knees. _Selphie was right…_ he thought to himself wearily. _This is something I need to figure out for myself. I've always known myself inside and out…and anything new that pops up, I simply shove away. But I must, stop, doing that!!!_

"Zell?"

Zell turned to see July run up behind him, panting slightly. She wore a pair of white shorts and a white blouse. Sweat covered her heaving chest…

Zell turned away. "What? What do you want, July?"

"Hyne, excuse me for breathing." July muttered, walking up to him and sitting down beside him. "I just wanted to know why you ran off like that."

Zell looked down at her, her big blue eyes looking up at him… "Why are you here?" he muttered, before realising that he said it out loud.

"I told you! I wanted to see what's wrong!" She frowned, suddenly angry. "If you didn't want to talk, you should have just said so, you big jerk!" Standing suddenly, she began to stalk off.

Zell, suddenly feeling very selfish, sprang to his feet and placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her. "Hey, wait a second…" Was all he got out, before she span around and kissed him on the lips, her arms wrapping around his neck to pull him closer, their bodies pressing together in one brief moment of passion…before he slipped an arm up between their hot bodies and pushed her away, his palm shoving her in the chest.

She fell to the ground, and looked up at him with tears in her eyes. He blinked, looking down at her with wide eyes, not knowing what to say or do. They remained like that for a few seconds, before Zell scratched the back of his neck.

"Ah…that…that can't happen again…" He muttered, mostly to himself.

"Why not?"

Zell looked down at her with amazement in his eyes. "Well…it…it just can't, ok! I've got to many things going on right now to…" he stopped himself suddenly, clapping a hand over his mouth. _Hyne! Watch yourself, Dincht!! You almost pulled a Timber again!_

"What?" July asked, jumping to her feet and running up to him, pushing her face into his. "What's going on? Do you have a girlfriend, or something?!"

"Well…yeah…"

July took a step back and looked Zell up and down. "Does she do to you what I do?" she asked, her voice as seductive as a mermaid, stepping up to him once more and running a hand down his chest.

"No…" he admitted, grabbing her wrist and pulling it away from him. "But that's why I like her. She's sensitive…loyal…smart, capable…able to do anything…"

"In other words, she's everything you're not."

Zell's hand seemed to have a life of it's own, the blow over in less then a second, July sprawling to the sand with a cry of pain. Zell, horrified at what he did, ran to her and helped her up. "Oh Hyne! Oh Hyne, I'm so sorry, July! Really, I don't know what came over me…"

July looked up at him, tears in her eyes but a smile on her face. "Don't worry…I understand." She allowed herself to be helped up, before patting her clothes down and looking up at the blond haired warrior. "I'm used to getting what I want…it's a bad habit…" She smiled again. "This doesn't change anything between us, Zell. This only makes the relationship stronger."

"I…I love Angel." Zell said firmly…yet hesitantly.

"Does she love you?"

"Of course!"

"…Then I'm sorry for what I did. It was a stupid thing to do. I thought…you know…" Her voice trailed off, her sight falling down to the sand. Little droplets fell from her face, and Zell could tell by the heaving of her shoulders that it wasn't sweat.

Zell awkwardly pulled her into a hug, her quiet tears turning to sobs as she clutched at his chest pitifully. "I'm sorry, July…maybe if we had met a few years ago…but Angel makes me happy. She makes me feel at peace. If you met her you'd like her, believe me."

"…Uh-huh…." Was the reply sobbed into his chest.

"And you'll find someone else! Hell, you'll probably find someone in the tournament, just like with you and me…but it'll probably work out." He pulled her away from him and lifted the hem of his shirt, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Right?"

"…Yeah…(hic)…you're right." She said, her shudders subsiding. "Your girlfriend…she must be really special to you…"

"More then you could believe." He patted her on the shoulder and sighed. "Now, lets get back to the fight! I bet Grey is probably wiping the floor with this guy!"

July giggled and wiped her eyes, before turning and setting off for the grandstand in a run. Zell watched her go and sighed. _Angel…I hope you realise some of the things I have to go through for you…_

"Come on, silly!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming…"

*          *          *

Ladies and Gentlemen, presenting Grey the White SeeD, and Dolomatia from Centra! 

Zell and July sat down  with Irvine, Selphie and Sam just to see the fight just begin. Grey and Dolo faced each other off, staring at each other's stances, looking for any weaknesses. July leaned close to Zell. "This ought to be good!" she whispered, Zell rewarding her with a smile.

Grey wore the White SeeD uniform, the white clothing seeming to give the coldness of his face a mysterious quality. The boy's face seemed devoid of moisture – as if, even in the long sleeves and slacks, the heat didn't bother him. _One cool individual…_ Zell thought to himself, staring at the stance. _Flawless._

Grey held his stance for a few seconds, before standing straight. His voice rang out through the speakers rigged periodically around the stands. "_You're no contest. I'll defeat you with one punch." _He said coldly, the surveillance bee flying around the fighters fluttering closer for a closer shot of his face.

The Centraian snorted. "_Come on, then."_

One punch, three broken ribs and a punctured lung later, Zell tried to keep his jaw from hitting the ground as he watched the Centraian hit the sandy ground with a gurgle, Grey turning to the surveillance bee. "_Call a medical unit over. Now."_

"How the…one punch…he was so…how the…" Zell could only mumble as Grey began to trudge back to the stands.

The commentator's reaction wasn't much different to Zell's reaction. _Ah…that was Grey the White SeeD, folks. In all my years in commentating, I've never seen a fight…finish so quickly. So, without further ado, lets get the second lot of contestants on the field!_

Zell frowned, lost in thought. _The surveillance bee picked up everything. What did I miss? Is he that fast?_

"See! See!" July cried with glee. "He kicked that guys ass!! I told you he was good!!"

"That's Grey." Sam muttered with a grin. "Never one to put on a show."

Zell smiled. "Yeah…he's good alright." He looked over at Irvine and Selphie, who recognised the look, and they all stood.

"Where are you guys going?" July asked, stand with them.

"I think I'll get ready for my battle now…" Zell said, his voice suddenly serious. "We're going back to the Ragnarok."

"Can we come?" Sam asked, rolling his wheelchair out of the disabled zone into the walkway.

"Sorry, dude…this is something I need complete privacy for." Zell replied, not addressing Sam, but looking at July straight in the eye. She narrowed her eyes slightly…before nodding.

"Don't worry about them, Sam. We have to wait for Grey anyways."

Sam rolled his wheelchair over to Irvine, nudging him gently and looking up at him. Irvine rolled his eyes and pulled a ten Gil note from his pocket, handing it to the White SeeD, who stuffed it into his own pocket with glee. "Great doing business with you, Sorceress Slayer."

The Balamb SeeDs walked away, Zell moving to walk next to Irvine. "You bet _against _Grey?!"

Irvine looked sheepishly down at Zell, the taller man shrugging. "What? The other guy looked pretty tough!!"

Zell shook his head with a look on his face that said _This__ isn't a game._ "When we get back to the Ragnarok, we'll talk." He said, his voice deadpan.

"Hyne, Zell, what's with the bug up your ass! You're not my mother! If I wanna blow ten bucks on a fight…"

"Not about the bet!" Zell cut in sharply. "About Grey…"

*          *          *

"What would his motive be?" Selphie asked, picking at her boots as they sat in the conference room.

"Who knows?" Zell replied, stopping his pacing up and down the room. "Personal vendetta? Or maybe the White SeeDs have been given a mission much like our own…"

Irvine looked up at Zell from his seat. "Wait a second. Are you telling me that Ellone received a mission from the Galbadians, asking the SeeDs to assassinate Laguna?"

"It's possible, you must admit." Zell said. "SeeDs are basically mercenaries. Who's to say that the White SeeDs have gotten into a spot of trouble lately, much like our own Garden, and have had to take an opportunity that they usually wouldn't take?"

"Ellone wouldn't do that…would she?" Selphie asked timidly, the emotions radiating from Zell a little overwhelming for her spiritually.

"Who knows? When was the last time we saw her? Two, three years ago? People change."

"No way. I refuse to believe that." Irvine muttered, slamming his fist onto the table. "There's no way Ellone would want to kill Laguna. She's infatuated with him. And anyways, if she was ever in any trouble, Laguna would drop everything to find and help her. What reason would she have?"

Zell sat down in a chair with a thump, rubbing the back of his neck with a hand. "There's only one possible way for us to find out…"

*          *          *

"Hey, it's Zell! Rinoa, get over here, it's Zell!!"

Squall smiled down at Zell through the vid-screen, Zell frowning slightly in confusment. _Squall Lionheart, happy to see Zell Dincht? Next I'll look out the windows and see Gruels falling out of the sky…wait, I've already seen that…stupid Lunar Cry…_ "Uh…hi Squall! How's everything at Garden?"

Squall smiled once more as a pair of slim arms with long blue sleeves wrapped themselves around his neck. "Everything's going just fine down here, Zell. We've gotten a few new Oilys, and they're breeding successfully."

"That's great!"

Rinoa looked down over Squall's shoulder. "Yeah! And as soon as we can convince Cid, we'll be heading your way!"

Zell sat back in the chair, surprised. "What, the entire Garden?"

"Well, why not? It's time the students had a vacation anyways…even if it is for a week or so." Squall said.

Zell shrugged. _Funny…he was so against us using the Garden…_. "What the hell. It'd be nice to see you guys around here. It'd be a hell of a lot less stressful, that's for sure."

Rinoa looked past Squall's shoulder to look at Zell. "What do you mean, Zell?"

Zell looked down at his lap, still angry at the opportunity had presented him. "The assassin…he spoke to me."

Squall's happy demeanour sudden took a nose-dive, his face and voice suddenly turning neutral. "What?"

So Zell told them. About how he had used too much energy in the first fight, and had gone into Limit Arrest. About the attack on the Ragnarok by President Justice. And, finally, about his confrontation with the assassin himself. "He was so close, Squall…so close, I could feel his breath on my face…and I was helpless…" He looked down at his lap once more, feeling as if he had just admitted to murder.

Rinoa, now sitting on Squall's lap, leaned a little closer to the screen. "It's not you're fault, Zell. You were injured. What could you have possibly done to stop him?"

"I dunno…actually tried to stop him…actually done something…"

Squall leaned closer too. "There would have been nothing that you could have done, Zell. Let it go. You've checked the Ragnarok security tapes. Have you also gone through the usual procedures?"

"Yeah, we've gone through it all…" Zell mumbled. After checking to see if the assassin had shown up on tape, the SeeDs had activated the bug location system built into the Ragnarok, designed to stop any unwanted surveillance after a compromise of the ship's interior. The scan was done automatically every time someone went in or out of the Ragnarok anyways, but just to be extra sure, the SeeDs had gone through the rooms that the assassin might have entered or used with a fine tooth comb. They hadn't been able to find anything.

"Then there's nothing you can do about it. You must now act like everyone except Irvine and Selphie are suspects. Don't trust anyone." Squall leaned even closer. "Has anybody been acting oddly lately? Or, should I say, has anybody been extra nice to you or the others – anything distracting, anything unordinary besides what a stranger would do?"

_July…_ "No, not really. Everybody seems to accept us for who we are – SeeDs who think they have a chance at the prize money."

"How about threatening behaviour? Has anybody, besides the assassin, threatened you or anybody else in your presence?"

"Well…my next opponent said he's wipe the floor with me…but I think that was bravado talking…"

"And?"

Zell hesitated. "There are White SeeDs here…three of them. And one of them lost a leg during the selection process." He saw the look of confusion on both Squall and Rinoa's faces, and held up a hand. "I'll tell you about it later…the point is, one of the White SeeDs told me that President Justice ought to watch his back a little more closely now that one of their team is injured…he specified to look out for a Flare attack."

"Could the message be interpreted as a warning of some kind?"

"No way. It was definitely threatening."

Squall leaned back in his chair, the arm not curled around Rinoa's midriff rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Then…and I don't like to say this…you must treat these SeeDs as the highest on your suspect list. I want you to watch them closely…really closely, as in try not to let them out of your sight, got it?"

Zell heart sank as he thought of what July might interpret this to be. "I understand, Squall." He mumbled.

"I highly doubt that Ellone would accept an assignment like this, however…she loves Laguna too much."

"That's what we thought. And that's kinda why I called. When was the last time you talked to her?"

"About three months ago. She wanted to find out…" Squall's voice trailed off.

Zell leaned forward a little, playing with the volume. "What was that, Squall? I didn't hear that last bit."

Squall had a look in his eyes. A distant look. A _shocked _look. "She wanted to know if we were sending anybody into the tournament. That's how I found out about it..."

Zell sat back in his chair. He's stomach felt like it had just done the tango with a Marlboro. _Ellone…no, no way…_ "What's her frequency?" he asked, his voice deadpan.

Squall sent it to him, typing it in with one hand. "Listen…Zell…" He muttered, ignoring Rinoa's questioning and concerned stare. "If she seems…a little off balance…like Edea was…you know what to do."

"I'll contact you right after." Zell terminated the conference with a cold press of the button and leant back in his chair.

If Ellone _was_ behind all this, then they would have their hands full. Not only did she have the ability to mess with them in a magical perspective, transporting them into the bodies of anybody she wished, before killing them in the real world, but she was also a master tactician. She hadn't wasted her years protected by Laguna, using the time to study and adapt fighting and magical techniques, in order to create the best Sorceress defence team in the world.

When the Sorceress didn't show for a full decade, the Estharians became bored and a little edgy about the project, and Laguna had been forced to terminate it. It was then that Ellone formed the White SeeDs, the original travelling mercenary agency, and went solo. Obviously, Cid and Edea formed their own Garden, but Ellone had been the perpetrator – the originator. Her project started when she was only ten – now in her late twenties, it had grown to four travelling Gardens, all of whom have their own personal agendas, their original mission lost in a mist of costs and budgets.

And now, it seemed, something or someone had decided to make Ellone do something against all logic – hurt the man she had come to think of as her father.

Zell tapped the frequency number into the vid-screen and pressed send. There was a few minutes of wait – satellite information sent up into space, exchanging security details, before information was sent to the proper destination. There was another brief moment as the two frequencies shook hands, before someone picked up.

"Who is this? How'd you get this frequency?" A boy, no moire then fourteen, said roughly into the screen. A White headband adorned his head. _It's correct…_ Zell realised. _Something for the 'Ellone didn't do it' bin.__ If she was against Laguna, she wouldn't have given out her frequency. It would be too easy to trace._

"This is Zell Dincht. I need to speak to Ellone. Now."

His tone would have frozen Shiva, but the boy only wavered. "Uhhh…she isn't seeing anybody right now."

_You're not making this easy for you, Ellone._ "Tell her who it is, and I'm, sure she'll want to speak to me."

The boy looked off the screen for a second, before the view went from live to standby. Zell waited patiently, before Ellone's face came on screen.

She looked…tired. The usually pretty face was haggard, big bags under her grey eyes. Her long, black hair was brushed, but was hurriedly tied back in a ponytail. _Zell _looked better then her…and the stress of the tournament and the mission hadn't been affecting him in a positive way.

"Zell!" Ellone said, sounding surprised. "What are you doing calling?"

"Ellone…it's good to see you." Zell had to say it. This was the girl he had grown up with…had looked up to as a big sister figure. When he moved to the Dincht's, the hardest thing to let go of, besides Matron, was Ellone.

"Well…it's good to see you to, Zelly." She said with a tired smile. "I hear that you've entered in the World Martial Arts Tournament. How have you been going so far?"

"You should know, Ellone. Your own people have been competing as well."

Ellone looked left and right, as if to say _what? My people?_ "I…I have no idea what you're talking about, Zell."

"Come on, Ellone. Grey, Sam and July, those are their names. All experienced at hand to hand, all have elite training in para-magic…and they're all White SeeDs. They didn't even deny it when I asked them!!" Zell leaned a little closer to the screen. "Level with me, Sis. Please."

Ellone looked at Zell with tears in her eyes. "You know…you've gotten so much more serious the last time I saw you…"

"I've got a lot to think about Ellone. I almost didn't survive my fight yesterday, and someone had the opportunity to kill me to further themselves in the tournament while I was injured. So tell me. Why are White SeeDs at the tournament?"

She continued to look at him, a single tear trickling down her cheek, the sight cutting into Zell's soul like a hot knife through butter. Zell's stony face couldn't hold out much longer. The macho-bravado act he was portraying wasn't going to hold out under the emotional strain. He was going to cave – he wasn't going to get anything out of her – he was…

She suddenly buried her head in her hands, weeping loudly. "Oh, Zell…(hic)…we haven't gotten any money in the past two years…(hic)…oh, sure, Uncle Laguna helped out every now and then…(hic)…but, I want to run things b myself! I'm not ten years old anymore! I'm a woman, I'm' independent!!" Her words seemed to tumble out of her mouth, the push Zell created seeming to open a floodgate. "And then, I heard that this tournament will be held, and two million Gil is a lot of money! Do you know I can sustain the ship, all the orphans and the students for a good decade with that kind of money! Not only that, but the publicity would work wonders for our business! We've already gotten calls asking for protection jobs – small stuff, I know, but it's a start…"

Zell interrupted by holding up his hand. "Wait a minute. Are you telling me that you entered the competition just to get at the money? No other reason?"

Ellone grabbed a small handful of tissues from off screen and wiped the tears from her eyes and face, still sniffling slightly. "…Yes." She said, like a child with her hand caught in a cookie jar.

Zell leant back in his chair, astounded. "If you were in such trouble, Ellone, you should have asked for help! That's what we're here for! I mean, I'm sure that Laguna would have been more then happy to help you until you got some more missions! You can't go through life depending on others, I agree, but you just can't plough on without accepting help now and then. That's how you got into this mess in the first place!"

Ellone sniffed again. "I know…"

"So next time you decide to do something like this, make sure you're well prepared for it. And also, make sure that you have something to fall back on." _whoa…did I just say that?_

Ellone smiled warmly, looking at Zell with new eyes. "You…you've grown up, Zell."

Zell smiled. "I know…" He frowned. "When was the last time you're SeeDs contacted you?"

"They ought to be calling us anytime now. This is their check in time. I like to make sure that they're safe. That's…kinda why I was hesitant to take your call."

"That's ok…but have any of them been acting strange lately? Like they're entering the tournament for some other reason besides the money?"

Ellone shrugged. "Well, Sam – he's such a sweet heart – he was all for helping the ship…but Grey and July had their own reasons." She paused.

"Such as…" Zell coaxed.

"…Well, Grey is the kind of guy who's out for a challenge. He wanted to fight somebody 'worthy', as he used to say. And July…well…" She hesitated once more. "She wasn't all into going…but when I told her that you'd be joining, she couldn't want to go any faster." She shrugged. "She's always been an admirer, Zell. I suppose she wanted to meet you…and from the sounds of it, you've done a lot more then that."

Zell grimaced. _I'll bet July's report wont be all that Ellone would be hoping…oh well._ "Look…there's something really big going down right now, and I can't have them interfering when push comes to shove…so make sure to tell them to keep their eye on the goal. The money."

Ellone leaned forward, interested. "Why? What's going on, Zell."

"I…I cant tell you."

"Oh! Why not!?" she said, the old Ellone resurfacing. _What do you mean it's only a boys game! I wanna play with you guys too!!_

"Lets just say that less people that know, the better we'll be able to do our job."

"Tch, fine…"

"And you can't tell July and the others that I called."

Now Ellone was really interested. "What's going on, Zell. Come on, you can tell me."

Zell shook his head firmly. "No. I can't. I promised Squall."

Ellone sighed. "Ok…I won't tell the others. But they'll begin to wonder that something's up if I tell them to ignore you guys."

"I didn't say to tell them to ignore us! Just tell them to pull their heads out of their asses and keep the orphanage on their minds. OK?"

"Ok Zelly. I'll do that. I won't tell them in _your_ words, but I'll tell them." She tilted her head to the side, smiling. "You know, it's been really nice talking to you, Zell. It's good to get those things off my chest."

Zell nodded with a smile. "Well, I'm glad you did."

The door to Zell's quarters opened, and Selphie poked her head in. "Zell! You're fight starts in ten minutes!!"

Zell looked back at Selphie and nodded, before turning back to Ellone. "I gotta go, Sis. Remember, don't tell them I called!!"

"I won't, Zell. You can trust me!"

He smiled at her, before executing the transmission and grabbing his Ehrgiez gloves from the dresser, pulling them on as he left his room.

*          *          *

Walking through the desert sand, Selphie rained questions down on Zell. How did Ellone look? Why did she look tired? What was she wearing? Did she look like she was eating right? Zell had enough willpower not to turn and ask her to shut the hell up. Instead, he cracked the knuckles in one hand by balling his fist tightly.

It was a sign that the others knew meant that he was in serious mode. His game face was on. This wasn't round one. This was round two. Tougher opponent. Tougher conditions. Tougher odds. And Zell wasn't going to screw up like he did yesterday.

When he got to the designated waiting area, a small tent with the sign 'warm up' hung outside the doorway, the Galbadian was already inside. His tight clothing that he wore before had been replaced with some baggy pants and soft-soled sandals, with no shirt, his upper body rippling with muscles. He stretched slowly, taking his time.

_What is it with these tools and showing off their pecs? I mean, who are they trying to impress? _Zell wondered as he stretched in silence. _I mean, there must be a million other guys here with better looking chests then that. Telling the truth, it's kinda gross, having such big muscles. At least I'm not going to knock things over, or be able to fit into small spaces, unlike this big lug. He probably wouldn't be able to fit through normal sized doorways._

"What you staring at, punk?" Sheran muttered, seeing Zell's stare.

Zell shrugged before touching his toes. "I was just wondering why you're muscles are so big."

Sheran stood tall, flexing his pecs and abs. "Jealous?" he asked.

Zell stood straight too, looking at Sheran as if he had sprouted a hand form his nose. "Not really." He lifted his shirt, showing Sheran his chest. "See, I've got em too!"

Sheran snorted and said nothing.

A small man walked into the warm-up tent. "Oh, you're here, great. All warmed up?" Both fighters nodded. "Ok, follow me."

The three men waked out of the tent and a little to the left, onto a wide circular thing half buried in the sand. It looked like an upside down spinning top, a pointy bot sticking up into the air. "Hey! I know this thing! This is one of the transporters from Esthar!" Zell exclaimed.

"Yes, you're correct." The small man said with a smile. "The Esthar government allowed us to borrow a few. Quite generous, really…" He gestured to the round thing. "Ok, hop on."

The fighters got on board, sitting on the round seat in the middle, and the little man held out his palm to both of them. "Please put these in you're ears." He said, showing them four little pill-like devices

"What are they?" Zell asked, taking the little electronic device from the man's hand.

"They're input-output devices. This is how you're voices will be carried out to the big screen, and how we'll be able to contact you to begin the fight."

"Cool." Zell muttered, grabbing the devices and putting one in each ear. "But why will you want to know what we're saying?"

"It's just a precaution, in case something goes wrong…and, the crowd goes wild when you cast magic and do the whole 'Limit Break' thing." The man waved his arms in a circle excitedly. "I mean, 'Meteor Barret!'…its just, you know…wow."

Zell looked at the guy like he had a third eyeball, and nodded. "Uh-huh…can we go now?"

"Sure." The man walked over to a small podium beside the device and pressed some buttons, the buttons lighting up on the panel as he let his hand go. The device on which the fighters sat suddenly glowed a bright purple, and began to float, levitating slightly into the air.

"Obviously, there is a para-magical barrier around the device, to keep monsters and stuff from flying in, but remember, stay on the device! It'll keep things out, not in!" the little man said. "And you'll be transported exactly one mile west, so, good luck to the both of you!"

The man pressed a final button, a sharp whine emitting from the bottom of the device – before it shot off west at a blinding speed.

Zell watched the landscape below them flash past, the sand giving way gradually to rocks and flat granite, before turning to Sheran. "Well, for what it's worth, good lu – "

His words were cut off as Sheran grabbed him by the head and threw him out of the device, the barrier around it doing nothing to stop him as he flew from the device, head first, towards the speeding ground.

*          *          *

_Author's note: Hey there, Zell fans! Someone reviewed FF8 Tournament and said that they thought they knew who the Assassin was…of course, this chapter ought to give you a few more ideas, but here's what I propose…_

You send in a review, saying how much you like the fic etc, AND who you think the Assassin is. Whoever guesses right (or pushes me into the right direction for a culprit) will…

_…wait for it…_

_…be put in the final chapter as a key player in the story!_

_Remember the no-name commander in the first two chapters? Well, hopefully, the no-name commander will actually get a name!! All you have to do is guess the Assassin's name right. It could be Clara, Galbadian hardass, or Grey, mysterious White SeeD. Or July! Or __Irvine__! Or President Justice! Or Sam! Or whoever the hell you want it to be!!!_

Thanks, and remember, keep reading!! 


	10. Round 2 Zell VS Sheran

Ch 10 – Round 2 – Zell VS Sheran

It was simple, really.

One second, Zell was turning, talking as he turned, slightly tense about the fight.

The next, a big, sweaty palm obscured his view.

Then, there was a feeling, like someone had grabbed his head by a vice and pulled him through a thousand stabbing needles. Then his view cleared, to see the ground coming towards him.

Very quickly. With no hint of slowing down.

He thought as quickly as possible. The first thought was that he was going to die. The second was that he wasn't going to die – he was just going to get really, really hurt. 

Badly. 

As in, _every bone_ kind of badly.

Then he thought seriously and got to work.

The ground coming toward him at break-neck speed, he threw his hands out and slapped them at the dirt. He span in the air, the push from the ground giving him enough of a boost – _to land back on the device!!_

He landed on his hands and feet, like a cat, on what would pass as the roof – the paramagical barrier. Most people would think that that would have been a smart thing to do. Instead, as soon as Zell's skin touched the barrier, it burned like fire, and he recoiled, slipping back off the device and hitting the ground at a speed he wasn't prepared for.

At first it was ok – all sense took leave as he hit, bounced, then hit again, coming to a skidding stop. Then they flooded back to him when he became immobile, staring up at the blue sky as the pain washed over him. It felt like most of his skin had been shredded off his body – and he craned his head to take a look.

 A large gash had opened up his chest, travelling down his stomach and ending just above his groin, revealing something pink and ropey. His left leg was bent the wrong way…why was it bent the wrong way?

He shook his head. He was going into shock. He mustn't become woozy…he must focus…he must focus his energies…

He felt the energy waver inside him, flickering like a damp wick on a burnt out candle. His wounds had been extraordinarily severe…he might not have enough power to channel the energy…

_No!_ His mind screamed to him. _You must focus, you Chicken wuss, otherwise you'll just prove to everybody how crap you are! To be taken out before the fight even started?! By a cheat, no less?!_

He grimaced, gritting his teeth with the effort as he felt the power flicker…and grow. Balling his fists, he grunted the word to activate the energy.

"…Curaga…"

The massive wound on his torso seemed to close up, the organs spilled out sucking themselves back in. His leg moved back to its original shape, the number of cuts, gashes and burns he acquired seeming to close as they were cleaved – sealing themselves suddenly and without warning.

His light head gone, it was replaced with something else.

Fury.

The Galbadian hadn't had the guts to take him on man to man. He hadn't had the guts to be taken out face to face.

And, to top it off, that had been Zell's last Curaga. He would have to do with Cura and Cures for the fight.

Flipping to his feet, he checked his body. Everything was healed over; nothing remained except for bloodstains and torn clothing. His shirt and jacket had been ripped wide open during the tumble, and he ripped them off with a swift pull, his chest beginning to glisten in the desert sun as the heat attacked relentlessly, sweat trickling down his chest. Thankfully, his pants had survived the fall, and he looked up at the surveillance bee hovering above him.

Now that he was on his feet and thinking properly, he could hear the commentary coming in through his ears. _Wait a second folks…he's back up! Mr. Dincht, are you alright?_

"I'm fine. It seems that I took a tumble through the barrier on the transporter. I'm ok."

That's great! We were a bit worried for a second there – but you do seem alright. Sheran is at the prepared destination. If you wouldn't mind making you're way there…

"I'm way ahead of you." Zell muttered, balling his fists, allowing his power to flow. He muttered a word of magic under his breath, and took off like a rocket, red light streaming behind him.

*          *          *

He passed the transportation device in a few seconds, the circular platform streaming past him in a flash of light. He barely recognised it. He flew past it as if it was nothing – it's speed had nothing on him.

When he got to the designated fight zone, he saw his opponent standing, arms crossed, staring into the mountainous horizon. Zell skidded to a stop just a few feet behind him, the ground mounding up beneath his sneakers as he stopped.

Sheran continued to look at the mountains, turning his head only slightly to acknowledge Zell's arrival. "You're here earlier then I expected." He said quietly, his growling voice disturbingly dull. "I expected you to at least take a few more minutes to get over it." He turned slightly. "I didn't expect you to jump back on, though. You've got astounding reflexes."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Zell growled, taking one hand in the other and cracking his knuckles.

Sheran finally faced Zell, rolling his head on the base of his neck; spine rattling cracks echoing out from it. "So, you've proved you're worth. Let's see if you're all you're cracked up to be."

Zell nodded – before running towards Sheran at breakneck speed, his body a blur as he pummelled the ground before him.

Sheran countered with a fist to the face – which passed straight through!! Zell, still feeling the effects of the Haste magic, had moved so fast his body had created an after image! 

Sheran had fallen straight for the trap.

Sheran's body twisted with the missed blow, he looked up to see the real Zell up close and personal. A flash of black tattoo – then Zell smashed his elebow intoi the giants face, a gut-wrenching snap emerging as elbow broke bone.

Sheran staggered back from the attack – and Zell took the opportunity, materialising all around the larger warrior, fists and feet raining down on the Galbadian, his body snapping back and pitching forward as each blow knocked him around like a wind chime in a hurricane, little foot-shaped indents and fist-sized hollows appearing with each blow on his massive body.

Zell finally slowed the assault, suddenly jumping on the spot, his body twisting, everything moving in slow motion – before his body span the full circle, his sneaker  smashing the Galbadian over the chops, causing him to crash to the ground, the attack connecting with such force that Sheran skidded a good ten feet after.

The Galbadian lay there for a second – before lifting his legs and flipping to his feet, a green glow fading around his head. Zell watched as the broken jaw the Galbadian had received suddenly snapped back into its original position. He smiled and rocked his head around on his neck, cracking the kinks out of it like before. The numerous indents he had sustained suddenly popped out, like a balloon that had been blown up. It was like Zell hadn't even scratched his surface.

Zell snarled and advanced.

Sheran saw this – and countered with his own attack, his hands smashing together, palms facing outwards. Fire suddenly flared in the palms, and great gouts of Firaga fly at Zell. His Haste magic still in play, he avoided them easily, flipping and dodging as the flames licked at his heels.

He replied with a Water attack, his outstretched hand blasting a high-pressure stream of water, the liquid quenching the flames around him – as well as smashing Sheran back, the attack hitting him directly in the chest and sending him tumbling.

He fell onto his back, and Zell jumped high, taking advantage of a good opportunity. He came down on the larger man hard and fast, his feet burying themselves in his stomach, Zell smiling evilly as Sheran let out a gasping breath – before his expression turned from surprise to a wicked smile.

Zell's eye went wide as Sheran grabbed him by the feet, pulling him up and off him, before swinging him like a rag doll at the ground, his body smashing into rock and sand. Sheran swung the SeeD like he was a toy, bashing him into rocks and into the ground, Zell trying desperately to grasp to consciousness.

He hadn't thought that he had been this strong, and realised after the third swing at the ground that he would have to change his tactics. As Sheran pulled him back for another swing at the ground, Zell reached down and screamed "Thundara!!", lightening magic lacing down his body and deep-frying the Galbadian, his body twitching as the electricity burned through him, making him drop the SeeD.

Apart from some massive bruises that Zell would get on his palms from desperately fending off the ground, he wasn't any worse for wear. Sheran's body still twitching from the last attack, Zell threw his leg out, tripping the giant and toppling him to the floor.

Back flipping away from the massive Galbadian, Zell ground his feet deep into the ground, searching for friction as he outstretched one hand, grasping the wrist with the other hand for support. From the back of his brain he called the Forbidden magic, the power twisting and burning through him, the very ground beneath him shaking and shattering, the psychic energy needed lifting rocks and boulders into the air. He screamed as the energy welled within him, the yells seeming to add to the attack's power.

Zell's body suddenly became very rigid, and he snarled, before screaming the word of power.

_"Flare!!!"_

The wave of super-hot energy blasted itself from his hands, his posture almost bending backwards as the gigantic amount of energy kicked his body back at astounding speed, Zell's screams travelling over the sound of the rushing wind around him as every rock and small hill over a five kilometre radius was suddenly flattened.

The giant attack bore down on Sheran, knocking him back and sending him spiralling out into the horizon, his screams drowned out by the sounds of the Flare ripping through the air. Zell, with a supreme effort, lifted him arm up into the air, the attack lifting as the aim changed, until he was aiming at the sky.

The beam of energy flew up into the air and vanished as the magic wore down, and Zell lay on his back, breathing heavily. _I did it! I beat him!_

He held his breath, however, as he heard the sound of something dropping out of the sky.

Sheran fell, screaming, to the rocky ground, embedding himself in the red lime when he landed, a great puff of dust emitting from the new hole. Zell heard nothing for a second as he craned his head to look at the hole…

…before he heard a cough.

_Amazing! This guy must be a real expert if he's able to cast Curaga on himself so fast after a direct Flare attack! _Zell thought to himself.

Rolling over and onto his knees, Zell drew some White magic from inside him, the Cura healing most of his newly-acquired wounds. Blinking as the magic finally settled, he ran forward to the hole, to deliver the coup de grace.

Looking down into the hole, he saw nothing except a huge, man shaped indent.

Spinning, Zell saw nothing but a meaty palm – before everything went cold, the Blizaga attack sealing him in a block of ice.

His scream of terror and pain was frozen as his mouth clamped shut, the ice forming around him faster then the time it took him to run from the crash site to the fight destination. He was still alive – just trapped beneath the frozen icicles.

He was amazed he could still see, everything seeming to go quiet inside the oversized crystal, and he looked left and right, wondering where the rushing of blood in his ears had gone.

Then he saw Sheran moved forward outside his prison.

He was freed as quickly as he had been entrapped, Sheran's single punch shattering the big iceblock as if it was styrofoam, Zell flung from the trap as Sheran's fist burrowed through the ice like quicksilver and connected with Zell's stomach, knocking him out and flying. Zell flew backwards, falling to the ground, skipping on it once, before tumbling to a stop.

He looked up shakily to see Sheran, calm as ever, walking slowly towards him.

_Come on, Dincht! Suck it up! Move through the pain! You can do better then this!_ Zell stood on weary feet, drawing some more White energy from inside himself, casting Cura once more. As he felt the majority of his many injuries sustained heal over – but not completely – he watched Sheran. _He's cool – and doesn't seem to have a scratch on him. He must be casting Curaga on him almost every time I step back to prepare for another attack._ Zell grimaced. _Well, I think it's time he shared some of the power._

Setting his feet wide apart, holding his hand out and gripping it with his other, he performed the Draw. Sheran stopped in his tracks, frowning, as a potion on his energy seemed to disappear. He couldn't see the green globes of energy, only seen by the Drawer, fly from his body and become absorbed into Zells.

Zell grinned, standing tall now. _Fourteen Curagas – that ought to sustain me until the end of the battle._ He quickly cast the powerful White magic on himself, before setting his stance and screaming, the ground around him trembling as his power returned to it's full capacity.

Sheran frowned menacingly, suddenly realising what had happened, and broke into a run, his loping sprint ungraceful but fast.

He tried to pummel into Zell like a linebacker, shoving his shoulder to where Zell was supposed to be – but Zell jumped up high, landing on Sheran's broad shoulders and pushing off once more to swing around and king hit him right in the head, Zell's fists clenched together as the powerful attack smashed right into the back of the Galbadian's head.

Sheran stumbled slightly – and Zell didn't give him an opportunity to heal himself, jumping off his back and reaching out with both hands, firing magic blast after magic blast of Thunder, the puny but fast magic slamming into Sheran's unprotected back, the cracking and snapping of bones and cartilage echoing in Zell's ears, his hands kicking back as the magic launched itself from them, only to be replaced as quickly as it had been formed.

The blasts kept Zell in the air as he threw Thunder after Thunder at the large Galbadian, the attacks seeming to do more and more damage as Sheran stopped moving. Now having been suspended in mid air for over a minute, Zell pulled his hands high above his head, paramagical energy crackling in the air as he pulled energy from the very depths of his soul for his final attack, his mind ablaze with battle, his sight red with the glory of crushing his enemy forever.

The very air around him burst with supernatural power as he drew back breath to utter the word of power – the word that would unleash hell.

He whispered the word, the shock of using such Forbidden magic coming over him just as the last syllable left his mouth.

"_Ul__..."_

_"...Ti…"_

_"…Maaaaaaaa!!"_

It was like someone took an ocean of energy and dumped it into Zell's hands. A massive ball of dark light formed in his palms almost instantly, and he threw it at Sheran, a green glow just fading as he looked up – 

And paled.

The Ultima Technique slammed into Sheran's back, his screams digging into Zell's soul like rusty hooks as the Technique bore down on him, around him, _into him. Zell could see through the dark energy to see Sheran flailing, his arms and legs twisting and turning before simple _disintegrating._ Sheran's screams reached a new crescendo as the Technique ate away at his body until there was nothing left, the dark matter fading away to nothingness._

Zell blinked as gravity finally took hold, pummelling him to the ground. He landed heavily, his body relaxing with the fall as he landed on his hands and feet, and looked over to where Sheran once lay.

There was nothing left but a pile of ashes.

*          *          *

Zell shook his head, blinking as tears began to form. He hadn't meant to kill Sheran – he had only wanted to defeat him.

_I went over the top _again_, Hyne damn it!_ Zell's mind screamed, as he fell to his knees, smashing his fist into the hard, rocky ground. _I did again, and now there's no coming back for him!_

A warm voice entered his mind. _You killed him doing what he loved best, human. He died trying to survive. Just as you will, either tomorrow, or on you're death bed. There was no stopping his fate at you're hands._

"And that's supposed to make me feel better, Ifrit?" Zell yelled, smashing his fist into the ground again, a large crack appearing in the red rocks.

No. It was supposed to show you that no matter what you do, you must always survive. If you go around allowing you're enemies to survive, then there will be a good chance that you will be stabbed in the back as you walk from the battlefield.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

It means that, even if you had allowed him to live, he wouldn't have stopped until one of you was dead.

Zell blinked, wide eyed. _Of course.__ These battles aren't about money, or popularity. They're about blood, about death, about showing who's the best._ He looked over at the pile of ashes. _Now I understand why the assassin wants to fight me. And now I understand why I must defeat him…utterly._

*          *          *

Zell sat next to the ashes until the transportation device arrived to take him and the remains back. He looked up to see some people step off the device: Selphie, concern mixed with happiness, and President Justice, looking defeated.

They both walked over to Zell, stopping a few feet from him. He stood and looked at them, his face grim, his body covered in the numerous cuts and gashes he had received from the backlash from the Ultima attack throwing up debris. Blood oozed from the wounds, but he ignored it, as well as the pain. He had had worse.

Selphie was the first to step forward, placing a gentle hand on his scarred and bloody chest, green light flowing from her hand through his body. He let out a breath, and breathed easier.

President Justice stepped forward, pulling something from beneath his jacket.

An urn.

He scooped the ashes into the urn and turned to Zell, tears forming in his old eyes. "He…he always said he wanted to be cremated…" he said, his voice quiet.

Zell placed a hand on his shoulder and sighed. "For what it's worth, I'm so…"

"Don't worry about it. Even if you had allowed him to live, he would not have been able to live with the shame of losing…he had never lost…not even against the others…" he bowed his head and began to sob, his shoulders heaving as he wept.

Zell guided him onto the transport, before turning and reaching to give Selphie a hand up.

She hesitated, looking up at the blond haired boy with the tattoo on his face, covered in dirt and sweat and blood, reaching out with a helping hand…before taking it, allowing herself to be pulled up gently but firmly.

They all sat down in silence, and, in silence, the device took off.


	11. Twisted In More Ways Then One

Ch 11 – Twisted In More Ways Then One

The flight back to the arena was in silence, each person on the device brooding with his or her own thoughts.

When they finally arrived at the area, however, it was a completely different story.

The masses of hot, sweaty martial arts fanatics rose as one as Zell stepped of the device, and began to cheer as one. The massive wave of sound washed over him, causing him to take a small step back and let out a breath. "Whoa…"

"They're cheering for you, Zell." Said the President, his voice barely carrying over the sound. "This is you're moment."

Zell turned and looked down at the old man, who still had tears in his eyes. He placed a hand on the President's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze, before turning to the crowd once more. He lifted his arms high in the air in celebration.

The crowd went hysterical. People jumping up and down suddenly began to  cartwheels. Women wolf-whistling and giggling between themselves suddenly found themselves on the floor, feeling a little woozy. Men looked down at the dirty, bloodied boy before them, and grimaced in jealous acknowledgement.

Zell found himself grinning from ear to ear, waving his hands to gather more of a response from the crowd. _Is this what it feels like to be celebrated…to be known by thousands as the best?_

He jumped high into the air, flipping twice, before landing on his hands. Balancing precariously on his fingertips, he did a few handstand pushups, before pushing off the ground and landing perfectly, a few feet from the railings of the seats.

A million faces obscured his view, and his mind seemed to melt into them, as his body ran down the stands, grinning, as his high-five some and were touched by others. Women, men and children screamed his name, phone numbers and possible date times. The words filtered through his brain and gurgled out of his ears as he revelled in the attention.

Finally stopping at the end, he ran back to the device and picked Selphie up, tossing her high in the air. "I survived, Selphie! I won!!" he yelled, laughing, as she came screaming back to earth, only to be caught and tossed back up again.

The constant tossing up and down made Selphie giggle insanely, as well as feel a little queasy. "That's good for you, Zell, but if you don't put me down I'm going to ralph up my breakfast!!"

Zell, laughing, caught her finally and gently placed her down on he ground. She straightened her yellow dress dignifyingly. "Thankyou."

The President walked up to Zell. "If you don't mind, Zell, the advancement announcements need to be over here."

"Oh, ok…" Zell said cheerfully, walking with President Justice to a small podium.

"Stand here, my boy." The old man said, pointing to a piece of ground next to the podium. Zell did as he was told, and watched as Justice placed Sheran's urn gently on the ground, on the other side of the podium.

Composing himself, straightening his tie and pushing back his hair, which had been ruffled by the ride back, he stepped up the podium and cleared his throat. "Ladies and gentleman…ladies and gentleman, if I could have you're attention, please…"

He waited for a full ten minutes before the crowd died down enough for him to begin. "What you have seen today…" he began, "Was only a taste of what's to come from this brave young man. I have a good feeling that he shall make his way, all the way, to the final round, and will put up a good fight as well. It is with a clear heart, however, that I can say the Sheran Timletts death was not in vain. Knowing the man personally, I knew that the last thoughts that would have been running through his mind as the final blow was delivered, was that he would have had it no other way."

"Although Sheran's death will weigh heavily on the hearts of all Galbadian people, it is with great pride and admiration that I declare Zell Dincht, Balamb SeeD, victorious in the second round, and has qualified to pass into the third!!"

The sound from the crowd was deafening. Zell blinked as the noise assaulted his eardrums, and he reached up tentatively to scratch the insides of his ears with a pinkie. Finding nothing of interest inside them, he turned to see President Justice facing him. "Zell? Would you like to say a few words?"

Zell shrugged, and walked over to the podium, looking at the people as he cleared his throat. _Woo, boy…what do I say…do I say I feel sorry for killing Sheran, or that I'm proud to accept the qualification? Dude…this is really nerve wracking…_

"Uh…I guess I have to pay my condolences to the family and friends of Sheran Timlett. He was a worthy opponent, and even though I knew him for about an hour, I'm sure that it would please them greatly to know that I found him to be an honourable dude." He stepped back from the microphone, before hesitating and leaning forward. "And…uh…Booya!!"

The crowd went ballistic, the people cart wheeling now doing back flips, the fainting ladies now needing medical attention, the jealous men suddenly wanting to join Zell for a good beer.

He waved to the crowd once more, before turning to Sheran's urn. _Sorry, big guy_, he mouthed, touching his temple with a finger – before a gunshot rang out, taking him in the upper back, causing him to fall.

*          *            *

"ZELL!!!" Selphie screamed, as a puff of blood appeared from his back, spraying the President as Zell fell to his knees.

Immediately, the security detail, told to stand down whilst Zell was in the President's presence, suddenly swarmed around the old man and whisked him away. "Zell!!" Justice cried, arm outstretched, as the men bundled him into his limo and drove for the nearest airship.

Selphie ran to Zell's side, falling to her knees sobbing in front of him as he looked at her. His eyes were dulling – becoming blank as blood pumped it's way viciously from his back. "Selp…Selphie?" He muttered, crimson flowing from his mouth. "I…I can't…breath…"

He pitched forward, collapsing into her arms, his eyes going from dull to a blank stare. Blood dribbled out of his mouth freely – no movement in his limbs – he was dead.

The crowd seemed to freeze, not knowing what was going on – before it finally sank into one lady, her shrill scream tearing through everybody in the makeshift stadium. People suddenly began to scramble for exits, cries of horror mixing in with the absolute terror felt by every person.

Selphie looked up at the crowd with tears in her eyes, looking for the assassin, anywhere, any person with a gun…but all she saw was Irvine, running towards her with shock and horror etched into his face.

"Selphie! What the hell happened?" he cried, dropping his shotgun and kneeling beside Zell, pulling him off Selphie and rolling him onto his back. "Hyne! He's dead!!"

Selphie looked down at the shotgun lying beside Irvine as he began to check for life. She saw that it had cracked open in the fall, the shells popping out.

One of the shells had been spent.

She looked up at him with shock, the unrealism hitting her full in the face. _He's the assassin…he had all the opportunities, all the perfect alibis…it's him!_

She stood and raised her hands, the ground around her blowing with wind as her power swelled, unique magic flowing through her as she lifted him from the ground and threw him up into the air, stopping him mid-flight. He looked down at her, dumbfounded and shocked, as she looked up at him with murder in her green eyes.

"Why, Irvine?" She screamed. "What was you're price?"

Irvine twisted in the air, fighting something he had no chance against. "I have no _fucking idea what the hell's going on here!_" He screamed down at her.

"Oh, come on! You had the best opportunities to kill him at any time! All I want to know is why! Why kill a friend?!"

"You think I killed Zell?!" Irvine screamed. "Hyne, Selphie, you've got to be joking!!"

"Do I look like I'm joking?!" She replied, tightening her grip, watching as the invisible magic around him began to squeeze him to pulp…

…before Zell's body jolted again, more gunshots ringing out, his body dancing as the bullets pounded flesh and bone, turning his corpse into Shumi-cheese.

Selphie, taken by surprise, let go of Irvine immediately, allowing him to drop the twelve feet to the ground, and ran to Zell's body as the pummelling stopped briefly. Grabbing the bloody corpse, she dragged him back behind the podium, which was thankfully made of steel. Looking down at his body, Selphie saw that Zell now had seven blossoming wounds, blood seeping out of them rapidly. Holding her hands over the wounds, she muttered a word of power, and the bullet holes closed slightly, the bullets moving out of the holes, the bleeding slowing to a stop.

Looking up as a shadow loomed over them, she allowed Irvine some space to huddle beside her. He looked bruised, angry, and a little concerned. Selphie immediately launched into the deepest apologies, but he cut her off with a kiss, their lips pressing together longingly, before he cut the spell by drawing away.

"I know you did what you thought best, sweetie…" He muttered. "But right now, we need to get rid of this guy before he kills anymore people." He looked down at Zell. "Did you cast Full Life?"

"No." she muttered, balling her fists as more bullets rattled into the podium. "Only Life. It ought to kick in, in about five minutes."

"Right. Here's what we're going to do." Irvine muttered. "My shotgun is out there, but I still have my Vincent's. I'll draw his fire whilst you sneak out and cap him. I judge him to be…" He stopped talking suddenly, seeming to wait. Another bullet hit the podium, and he looked at the girl once more. "…Row twenty, at the very top. High powered rifle, judging by the delay of shot by the hit rate. He's good too, so make sure you cast Protect."

"I'll do better then that…" Selphie muttered, the ground blasting away from beneath her as her Barrier spell kicked in, the orb surrounding her flashing in the sunlight brilliantly.

Irvine shrugged with a grin. "Yeah, I suppose that'll work too." He winked at her, before jumping out from behind the podium, his handguns flaring as he ran across the area between the announcing area and the stands.

Puffs of dirt flew around his feet, followed by the delayed gunshots, as he ducked and weaved, judging where the next bullet would be and planning a trajectory to not be where that bullet ended up. He twisted through the air, shelled tinkling around him as he fired shot after shot up into the stands, now deserted.

Silhouetted by the sun, the Assassin ducked behind some cover as the .45 calibre bullets hammered into his surroundings, turning the wood around him into woodchips.

Selphie, seizing her chance, cast Float on herself and flew high up into the air, her Barrier magic surrounding her perfectly, as if she was a fairy in a bubble. Floating towards the Assassin, she saw him crane out from behind his cover and pop off a few shots at Irvine. He had no idea she was coming for him.

Pulling her nunchaku from the sling on her dress, she dropped down on him, flinging the tough chain around his neck and pulling back for dear life.

He choked, dropping the rifle and scrabbled for his neck, trying to find some purchase as his air supple was abruptly and shockingly shut off. Selphie grunted as he stood, staggering back and ramming her into a wall, but she continued to hang on, wrapping her legs around his chest and squeezing with her thighs as much as she could.

The man gurgled and took a few staggered steps forward, before finally pitching to the floor, the tiny girl wrapped around him hopping off as he hit the floor. Rolling him over, she gingerly pulled the nunchaku from the crevasse that she had put in his neck and placed his hands together before covering it with her own, a ball of ice forming around them. Moving to his feet, she locked them in ice too, the Blizzard magic working well for arresting movement.

Her job done, she turned and began to run down the steps, reaching the bottom to jump into a relieved Irvine's arms. "I saw you Floating up there, and then I saw a struggle, and Hyne you frightened me…" was all he got out before she peppered him with kisses.

"Oh, Irvine will you ever forgive me?" she wailed, tears reforming in her eyes.

"Yes, I forgive you, just as long as you remember that I do target practise every morning, ok?"

It was true. So caught up in the sudden death of Zell, that she had forgotten that he had not bothered to reload his shotgun that morning. "Oh, I'm so sorry…"

"Forget about it…oh, crap. Zell!!"

*          *            *

Darkness.

Suddenly, a white light burst over his view, and Zell squinted as his eyes opened. The world was a blur, but unlike last time, it began to clear swiftly. His body felt like it had been punched several times by a Blue Dragon, and he painfully reached up to probe a semi-healed bullet wound.

Which was when he saw someone craning over him.

He moved quickly for someone newly resurrected, his hand swiftly grabbing the person's neck and applying pressure slowly, listening to the victim gasp for breath…

…Before he let go and sat up, pushing the person away in the process.

It was a girl, dressed mostly in black, but as his vision clear even more, he saw that she wore fishnet stockings with a black short skirt. She was wearing a black shirt with a raised hood. Spikes adorned her wristlets, which hung loosely off very pale skin. She rubbed her neck softly, as if to be glad to get away from the pressure.

Zell, inherently a gentleman, immediately mentally kicked himself. "Oh, Hyne, I'm so sorry…" He said hurriedly, pulling himself to his feet and moving to her crouching form. "Are you ok?"

She looked up at him, and he was shocked to see that she was smiling. Her eyes were a deep, dark blue, the kind that pierced the soul and left it for dead. Reams of earrings adorned her ears – most of them associated with pentagrams and horns – and she flipped a dark black ponytail from her chest into the hood, before standing. She was a little shorter then Zell, a bit taller then Selphie, and grinned more when she saw his reaction.

"What's wrong?" She asked, her voice a cross between rusty barbwire and smooth silk. "Why'd you stop?" She moved forward, placing a hand on his chest. "Or is it my turn?" she asked seductively, jamming a finger into one of his newly acquired bullet holes. She prodded it in quickly, worming it around inside, aggravating the severed nerves.

He grimaced with pain and pushed her away, making her fall onto her behind as he put a hand to the now bleeding wound. "You're a Goth, aren't you?" he muttered.

She smiled up at him, and he suddenly saw the black makeup and lipstick. She licked his blood off her fingers and stood. "That's right, honey…" she whispered. "I'm Emily Strange…and I'm you're next contestant. Sheran considered himself the best…but I'll show you real pain."

Zell frowned and narrowed his eyes. "Rather quick off the bat aren't you. You don't seem too depressed about you're friends death."

"Death isn't something to be depressed about, baby. It's something to look forward to." She said with a cute smile, tilting her head to the left slightly, narrowing her eyes. 

Zell sensed a strange force around him, before he suddenly felt the overwhelming urge to kiss her, the urge attacking his mind like a virus. He frowned and shook his head, blinking as if someone had cast Blind on him. His sight blurred slightly, and he hesitantly took a step forward, unable to stop himself…

…before a gunshot rang out, causing him to blink and turn, the spell broken by the sudden noise. Selphie and Irvine ran up to him, puffing and panting as if them had just battled for their lives. "Zell!" Irvine said, concern in his voice as he trained the Vincent Valentines on the beautifully pale woman. "Back off lady, lest you want a lead salad."

Zell raised a hand, lifting his other to shield the woman. "Hey, what the hell's going on, guys? This chick isn't any harm…"

The Goth smirked and crossed her arms. "You sure about that, Sorceress Hunter?"

Zell's eyes narrowed as his head swivelled to face her. "How do you know that name?"

Selphie walked up to Zell and placed a hand on his re-opened wound. When she removed it, the wound was closed. "We'll talk about it later. Right now we need you're help."

"What do you mean?" Zell muttered, still staring at the girl.

"You were shot by an assassin. We need you to see if he's our guy."

Zell grimaced, before turning away from Strange. He looked up to see people beginning to re-emerge into the deserted stands, their frightened faces cutting into his soul. "No…" he whispered to himself. "He wouldn't do it this way…"

Irvine grimaced, his guns still trained on Strange. "What?"

"He wouldn't want to kill me like this." Zell turned Emily, looking straight in her eyes as he spoke. "It's not his style."

The woman smirked once more. "True…he wouldn't attack you like this. It is too cowardly."

Selphie and Irvine blinked at this remark, but Zell seemed unfazed. Strange continued. "You will not pass by me…but if you do, then you're work will be cut out for you. The old man _will_ die, wether you like it or not." Her smirk grew wider. "I sympathise for him…gathering the goal that I desire…to experience absolute death in its true glory…" She closed her eyes and sighed. "Oh, the lucky bastard…"

Selphie suddenly snapped, lunging at the girl in a bind rage, her nunchaku swinging wildly as they bore down on the martial artist.

Amazingly, and with speed that seemed to defy logic, Emily Strange deftly slapped the weapon to the side and hammered a palm into Selphie's chest, knocking her skittling back into Irvine. Selphie collided into the gunslinger's chest, knocking him onto his back.

Zell followed Selphie's trajectory with his eyes, and he swung back to face the Goth warrior…only to see her vanish behind some stands. She paused briefly to blow him a kiss, before disappearing from sight.

Zell's mind was in a whirlwind. _She knows…she knows everything…but how? And why didn't I try to stop her? Do I really want to experience the perfect challenge, like Diablo says?_

He pushed the thoughts out of his mind blindly, turning to Irvine and Selphie, who were just beginning to pick themselves up. He gave Selphie a hand, looking down at her, concerned. "Does it hurt? If you have any trouble breathing, you have to tell me now."

"No…no, I'm fine…" She gasped. "She just knocked the breath out of me…"

Irvine stood shakily, and ejected the clips in his handguns, placing them in his belt before replacing them with fresh ones. "Oh, don't worry about me, Zell. I'm fine. Really." He muttered sarcastically, slamming the last clip into the gun and chambering a round, before allowing them to slip back into his sleeves.

Zell gave him a deadpan stare, before turning to the stands, looking up at the shattered wood and dented metal from the barrage of gunfire thrown at the assassin. He turned and looked at the dented wreckage that used to be the podium. Looking down at it, he realised that the urn containing Sheran's ashes had shattered, the ashes scattering in the wind. Finally, he looked down at the large puddle of blood before him.

_His_ blood.

"Come on guys. Lets get back to the Ragnarok." He muttered.

*          *            *

The wind began to really blow as they walked back to the ship, the sand nipping at their heels at first before throwing itself at them, the sand stinging their skin and getting in their clothes.

When they finally reached the gigantic metallic dragon, the stumbled aboard, weary from the day's excitement. Irvine, shaking sand from his wide-brimmed hat, removed the loading bay door control from his pocket and pressed a button, the clanking of gears and whir of machinery seeming to signal the end of the day for the SeeDs.

His job done, Irvine hooked the control where it belonged and staggered off in the general direction of the recreation quarters, his shoulders slumped in tired defeat. Selphie turned to go with him, but paused as she passed Zell.

"Do you hear that?" she asked with a frown, but Zell had already turned to the door as someone called his name again.

"Zell! Zell, I need to see you!" July called over the sandstorm.

Zell turned to Selphie, his face twisting with fear. _Help me_ it conveyed to the tiny SeeD, but she simply shrugged, smiled, and turned, following Irvine.

The door almost closed, Zell ran forward, grabbed the control from the hook, and dived through the closing gap, landing in soft land and tumbling to a stop.

_Ow…_ He thought to himself. _Never do that again unless you are fully healed, you dope._ He managed to pull himself to his feet and looked around, fighting desperately to keep the sand out of his eyes. He just managed to make out a silhouette walking away from the ship in the dulled afternoon sun, and he called out to it.

"July! July, come back!" he cried, sand getting in his mouth. He gagged and spat out as much as he could, and looked back up to see a shadow moving towards him…

…and July burst from the sandy fog, embracing Zell tightly, the sound of her weeping carrying over the sandstorm's howls. His chest burned as she pressed hers against his, the bullets wounds feeling like cigarette burnings, an unwelcome experience…he should know.

He pulled her off of him gently, looking down at her as she tried desperately to wipe the tears from her eyes. They mad little sandy trails as the granules sank into the teardrops, and her eyes were red. Her white blouse had been replaced with a white jumper with a hood, to keep the sand out of her face. Zell, wearing nothing but his shorts and sneakers, had sand caked in his blood and his wounds. He needed to get inside now.

"Come on!" He yelled to her over the storm, grasping her hand and pulling her towards the loading bay ramp. Pressing the button, the ramp slammed to the ground, and they bundled themselves inside, before Zell slapped the emergency shut mechanism beside the entrance. The ramp slammed shut, and Zell sank to the ground, his back supported by the wall. July crouched next to him, looking over him worryingly.

"Are you ok?" she murmured, wiping some sand-filled sweat from his brow. "Hyne, you look like shit…"

"Tell me about it…" Zell muttered, looking down at his broad chest. He was breathing heavily, his tanned skin making cracks in the coagulating blood around his body. Sand was caked to the blood, and he grimaced as he looked at one of the bullet wounds. "Dammit. I'll need to really wash that out…"

"Oh, I'm sorry!" July cried, slumping to her knees before him. "I was just worried about you, that's all."

"Nah, it's ok…" Zell said with a smile. "I'll just need to…uhhh…wash it out really well, that all…" He suddenly felt weary, as if something had sapped his strength. Zell remembered the walk back to the ship. _I was feeling a little woozy…probably loss of blood…I didn't tell Selphie cause she looked so tired…_

"Are you ok?" July asked. "You're starting to look pale."

Zell waved a hand in front of him in a dismissive gesture. "Nah…I guess I lost…a few more pints…then I thought…" He shook his head to rid his sight of blur and stood uneasily. "You can't go back outside, not until the storms over…we'll go tell Selphie and Irvine you'll be staying…" He looked down at her clothes, stained with his blood. "And then we'll…get you some clean clothes."

He gestured for her to follow, and began to pick his way towards the recreation quarters.

*          *            *

Zell pressed the door stud with a knuckle, the grey metal sliding open for him, and he staggered it.

Originally a stasis chamber for the deep-space explorers in Esthar, it had been remodelled after the deep-space program had been scrapped by Laguna. Now it contained a tiny kitchen, sofa and TV, entertainment system, and several other luxuries that made living on the gigantic dragon a little easier to bear then the hard sleeping cots and bland living quarters. Zell looked around drunkenly, but couldn't see Irvine or Selphie anywhere.

_Funny…usually when I bust in here, they're making out on the sofa…I wonder where they went?_ He stumbled in and waved a hand at the sofa. "Make yourself at home." He muttered, finding it hard to concentrate one thing at a time. "Do you…want something to eat…or anything?"

July walked over and sat on the couch, looking up at Zell with concern in her eyes. "No…thankyou…" she said slowly.

Zell paused, before shrugging and moving to the small kitchen, grabbing a tiny packet, which said 'Steak and Veg', from the fridge and tossing it in a small microwave. Tapping in five minute on the screen, he sat down on the floor with his back to the cupboard and watched as the tiny packet expanded into a big packet.

The small microwave beeped, and Zell opened it and pulled the now large packet out, grabbing a plate from the stack on the counter and placing the packet on the plate. Finding that the procedure needed precision handling in his condition, he carefully ripped the packet open, revealing a mound of steak and vegetables.

Taking the plate, now looking like a home-made meal, he made his way over to the sofa and sat next to the White SeeD, who looked at him with curiosity.

He placed the meal on his lap and smiled, licking his lips, before looking up at her. "I …love those…things. It's amazing what…Esthar has accomplished, huh?"

"It sure is…" July replied.

Zell looked down at the meal, before frowning slightly. He had forgotten the knife and fork. Still frowning, he looked up and over at the counter, a pained expression on his face. "Awww…" he sighed. He didn't have the strength to get up and get them.

He felt a reassuring hand on his shoulder, and turned to see July smiling at him. "Which drawer?"

Zell frowned, thinking hard, but found that he couldn't. "Uhh…I…can't remember…" He frowned again. "I need food…to get more blood…"

July got up and walked over to the kitchen, coming back in a few seconds with a knife and fork after quickly searching. Sitting down beside him, she looked up…to see that he had fallen asleep.

She immediately grabbing the plate and put it down on the coffee table beside the sofa and shook Zell's shoulder, forcing him to wake. "Hey! Don't fall asleep!! You need to eat!"

Zell weakly pushed her hand away from his shoulder. "Not now, Baku…" He mumbled sleepily. "I'm…too tired…to play…" He suddenly slumped down on her, his body falling on her, her arms catching him just in time.

*          *            *

"Zell…" she muttered, savouring the warmth of his body on hers, feeling the tautness of his muscles…before shaking her head, pushing him away from her. His blood oozed from some of his chest wounds, and his head slumped back.

"Zell!!" A voice screamed, and July turned to see Selphie standing in the doorway.

"I didn't! I means, it's not what it looks like!!" July uttered, before Selphie pushed her aside and looked down at Zell.

"Of course! Zell would never do that kind of thing…" Selphie muttered, running her hands over Zell's chest, looking down at the re-opened wounds. "He's lost a lot of blood. The walk back must have taken more out of him that I thought." She looked at the coffee table, still holding the steaming plate of food. "Well, he had the right idea in mind…he was just too tired to eat."

July looked down at Zell. "What…what do we do?"

Selphie looked up at her, her usually happy face now grim. "We need to clean his wounds before we heal him. Otherwise they will heal over the bullets and ingrained sand…that will be very painful to live with if we do that." 

She stood, rubbed her hands together, and looked over at July. "Stand back." She said, before pointing her hands at Zell's unconscious body. "Float." She muttered, Zell's body limply dragged itself into the air. She pointed to the door. "Get the door, will you. We'll go to the infirmary."

July rushed for the door, her face pale as she slapped the stud.

*          *            *

Zells body lay on the infirmary table, flat on his back, no movement whatsoever. His broad chest, covered in sweat, dirt and coagulated blood, was bathed in light from the flood rigged to the roof above the operating table.

Selphie, Irvine and July looked down at him, all with an uncertain look on their faces. Selphie looked up at Irvine, and shrugged. "Hey, I'm skilled at magic, not bullet wounds. You're the gun expert. You should know something."

"Hey, babe, I just deal them out, I don't know anything about healing them."

"So, it's true that you can't use magic?"

Irvine and Selphie gave July a blank stare, before Selphie moved around the table and placed a hand on her shoulder, a warm smile on her face. "July…maybe you should wait outside until we're finished."

July looked insulted. "What for? What are you going to do, brainstorm how to hurt him more?"

Selphie's smile didn't shift one inch. "No…it's just that we're going to have to…you know, _check_ on him…and I don't think you should be here to see it." Selphie raised an eyebrow. "Do you follow?" Her tone said it all. _We'd rather you wait outside. Now._

July looked a little suspicious…but nodded. "I understand. It would be kinda personal…ok. I'll wait in the corridor."

"I'll be out with you in a second, ok?"

July left the room, and Selphie turned to Irvine, letting out a breath. "I thought she'd never leave."

Irvine nodded with a smile, and looked down at Zell. "You can get up now, you big dope."

Zell opened one eye and looked up at Irvine. "Hi there."

Selphie walked over to the operating table and jumped up on it, sitting next to Zell as he sat up. "Ok, Zell. Now can you tell me why we had to pull the wool over July's eyes?"

Zell rubbed his face, and looked at his friends with a goofy smile. "Well…you wouldn't want to hear the real reason…"

Irvine rolled his eyes and face-palmed. "Oh, geez, you mean to tell me we went through all this just so you could get rid of her?"

Zell waved his hands in a _not at all_ gesture. "Of course not…it's just that I'm still not sure which side she's on yet…I just wanna talk to you guys about it first?"

Irvine shook his head in amazement and slight disgust. "Man, I don't think I've ever met a guy who's so scared of a little girl…Hyne, you're just a big sook."

Zell looked at Irvine, deadpan. "You're not helping."

"I know, but it's still fun rubbing it in."

"It wont be fun when I force you to eat you're sock."

Selphie jumped off the table and moved between the two boys, placing a hand on both their chests. "Ok, fellas, lay off each other for a second, will you? We've got more important things to worry about."

Zell nodded sagely. "Yeah. Like getting rid of some of these bullets in me." He lay back down on the table. "As of now, I'm in excruciating pain, so if you wouldn't mind putting me to Sleep and taking the damn things out of me, the sooner we can talk about this stuff."

Irvine and Selphie looked at each other, before Selphie shrugged and tapped Zell on the temple, the small jolt sending an instant Sleep spell through his brain, knocking him out instantly. She sighed and turned to Irvine. "Get Dr. Kadowaki on the vid-screen and get her to walk you through it. I need to talk to July."

Irvine nodded and turned to the screen beside the operating table as Selphie walked out of the room to the corridor, where an anxious July stood.

July was leaning against a wall, tapping her finger on her arm, and stood straight as soon as Selphie came out. "How's he going?" she asked.

"He'll be fine…we're getting Dr. Kadowaki on the phone, so she'll walk Irvine through it…he might not look it, but he knows more about gun-related injuries then anybody."

July nodded, letting out a breath. "That's good…"

Selphie moved to stand beside the White SeeD, leaning on the wall next to her. They stood in silence for a second, before Selphie spoke. "July…why are you here?"

"We're here to gather money for the Ship. We haven't been getting much work lately, and the stuff we have been getting has been tiny stuff, bodyguard work, that kind of thing…and the orphanage was going under as a result."

Selphie frowned at the way July rattled off the answer, as if she had been practising it. "But…why are _you_ here? You don't seem like the fighter type."

July smiled. "Am I that transparent?" she chuckled. "I can see why you should say that. I'm actually more Magic based…paramagic level 12, Status magic division."

"Level 12…that's pretty high."

"Yeah…I'm one of the healers. I get all the missions where it's certain there will be losses. I just didn't expect one of the losses to be me…"

"That's right…you were killed in the selection…"

"You make it seem like it happens everyday…"

Selphie shrugged. "Well…I've died a couple of times too, ya know…"

July looked at her. "Really?!" she asked in obvious shock, before looking at the ground in amazement. "Wow…you know, I always thought the best never got hurt…that they were too good for that, you know?"

Selphie laughed out loud at that, gripping her sides at the look on July's face. "What gave you that stupid idea?! How else do you think we got this strong?! Everybody makes mistakes, even Sorceress Hero's!!"

July looked down at her shoes sullenly, her face going red. "Ok…you don't have to make fun of me…"

"Oh, I wasn't making fun of you…it's just that, in our line of work, casualties are a part that we can't avoid. Everybody dies…which is why we have Phoenix Downs and Life magic's."

"When was the first time you died?"

Selphie frowned at that question, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "Uhhh…I think it was when we went against Bahamut…"

July looked at her, shocked. "You fought the Dragon King?!"

Selphie shrugged. "Of course. How else do you think we acquired him?"

She reached over suddenly, placing a hand on July's temple. July began to moved back when a royal voice, full of grandeur but with a hint of ferocity, filled her mind, the words rushing in, the message over in a millisecond.

_The King of the Dragons is who I am. And the little one speaks the truth. I killed her with a single swipe of my claws…before the blond one blinded me._

July took a step back, batting Selphie's hand away from her head. "How did you do that?!" She gasped, rubbing the area where Selphie touched her.

Selphie grinned and shrugged again. "I don't know. When you have a GF in you, you can converse with it at will. Don't you know that?"

July continued to rub the area on her head, as if it had an ink blot that she couldn't see. "No…you see, I've never drawn a GF before."

Selphie frowned. "But…that's crazy. You're a SeeD! The very first thing you learn is how to depend on your GFs."

"We have very different teaching at the Ship then you do at Balamb Garden." July said with a small smile, finally lowering her hand. "It's not uncommon from Galbadian soldier training, or Estharian soldier training. We simply don't use GFs."

Selphie frowned, rubbing her chin, and began to speak when Irvine came out of the Infirmary, his coat now off, his rubber-gloved hands bloody. He tugged them off and smiled at the women. "Whew…I don't want to do that again in a hurry…"

"How'd it go?" July blurted, beating Selphie to the punch.

"Oh, he'll survive…all we need is Selphie to close the wounds…I would do it, but these Potions are expensive." He looked at his girlfriend and cocked a thumb over his back. "Dr. Kadowaki wants to speak with you too."

Selphie shrugged and turned to July. "Uh…maybe you should…"

July nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I know…"

Selphie nodded, and walked past Irvine into the room. As she moved past him, his hand lightly brushed hers. It was enough to send a signal with a GF.

_Irvine was very scared._ Quazecoatal said, a brief static charge emitting in Selphie's brain. _Several bullets were very close to major organs, and sand has become embedded in most of the wounds. He cleaned them out as well as he could, but he'll leave the rest with you._

Then the moment was over, and Selphie walked into the room, the door oiling shut behind her.

Zell lay on the table, lightly snoring away. The Infirmary was dark save for the operating lights, and was rather small in size. Equipment Selphie had never seen before was either hung on walls or were tucked neatly in drawers, which adorned most of the walls.

The operating table looked like someone had poured a bucket of blood over it, Zell's body slowly oozing life fluid out into tiny channels, which allowed the liquids to run down into containers hidden in the floor. Selphie walked over to it, and looked down at the equipment table.

A plethora of operating utensils were strewn all over it, but it seemed Irvine had only used two – a scalpel, and what looked like a pair of tweezers. Both were stained with blood. A small, metallic jar sat beside these, filled with an alcoholic smelling liquid. Selphie could just see several lumps of metal at the bottom.

"Selphie!"

The SeeD jumped at the sound of Dr. Kadowaki's voice, and swivelled to see the vid screen craned over Zell's body, just enough so the doctor could see the damage and the operator at the same time. "H-hello Doctor." Selphie said, trying to catch her breath. "You scared me."

"If anything, dear, it was me who was scared when Irvine called me. What the hell happened to poor Zell?"

Selphie briefly explained their situation to the doctor, all of which she absorbed without a word. When Selphie was finished, Dr. Kadowaki paused, before tapping a button off screen, and Headmaster Cid's face suddenly filled the screen.

Selphie immediately saluted, but Cid waved his hands at her. "Hyne, Selphie, I hate it when you do that…" his tone went from annoyed to amazed as he looked at the sleeping Zell. "My Hyne…what happened to him?"

"Sniper fire, sir. I managed to revive him, but he then had to walk through a sandstorm in order to get back to the ship for proper medical treatment."

Cid ran a hand through this hair. "Hyne…this just keeps getting worse and worse, doesn't it?"

Selphie cocked her head to one side. "What do you mean, sir?"

Cid seemed to compose himself, and let out a slow breath. "Maybe I ought to let Squall tell you." He pressed a button off screen. "Squall, you hearing this?"

A voice came over the comm., filled with static. It was Squall's, and he sounded tired and angry. He wasn't in the Garden, that was for sure. _"Yes, sir, I'm hearing it all. Selphie, are you reading this?"_

"Yes Squall." Selphie said, beginning to get a little excited. "What's going on?"

Squall seemed to gulp, drawing in breath. The sound of Rinoa telling him to rest came from the background, but he told her to be quiet. _"Selphie…its Watts."_

Selphie blinked. "Watts? What…what about Watts?"

Headmaster Cid's face seemed to fall, his gaze falling to the floor in sadness.

Selphie frowned, beginning to get impatient and angry. "Squall! What about Watts?"

Squall's voice was like ice to her system. The second it hit her ears; her whole body froze like a Blizga attack.  _"He's been compromised…and has been so for almost a year. He's been tortured and has haemorrhaged information to the enemy. Selphie…I think the information he's been giving us has been false. They're not going for Laguna. They're going for someone else."_


	12. Death Of A Hero

Ladies and Gentlemen. The end of this chapter was something that I came to great lengths to simply try and avoid. However, in order to allow the story to flow freely, I had no choice but add it in. My condolences on anybody who likes this character, and please, no flames. I swear to the almighty Hyne that someone will pay for his death.

_All great Heroes must die one day. The point is, how you go. With a whimper? Or with an almighty bang?_

_Michael Kenny_

Ch 12 – Death Of A Hero

Selphie's blood ran cold as Squall's words sunk in. Her body seemed to follow suit, Shiva touching her spine before her limbs trembled slightly. She felt nauseous, and gripped the edge of the operating table. Zell slept on, oblivious to the shocking information.

"How…" She gasped, trying to find the right words. "How did you find out?"

Squall's voice seemed more distant with each word. "_We received a brief distress signal for about an hour or so, before it was abruptly cut off. The source of the transmission came from the Sand Prison, and none of Watt's information pointed to him being there. We mobilised about an hour after receiving the signal, had the Prison under our control in two, and found Watts an hour after that."_

"And…what did you find?"

Squall seemed to paused. Rinoa's voice in the background seemed more urgent that he rest, and he passed the control to her, muttering something to her before going away. Rinoa's voice rang through the speaker clearly. _"Watts…isn't in the best shape right now, Selphie. To say the least, he had to go through a lot to get to the distress beacon. He was being punished as we stormed the place."_

"How is he?"

Rinoa's voice trembled slightly, before she composed herself. _"He's…he's blind. Permanently. He's got a few broken bones, cigarette burns…he also received some damage when we busted in, friendly fire. He's not in good shape."_

Selphie felt like crying. Watts, with his gentle nature. Watts, the tag-along. Watts, who bravely volunteered to go on such a risky mission. He was a good guy, to say the least. "Will he pull through?"

Rinoa didn't reply.

Selphie nodded to herself. _His injuries…they must've been too severe for the paramagic healers to work on…_

Rinoa's voice rang out of the speaker. _"He'll be ok, Selphie. The para-healers were able to reach him in time."_

Selphie let out a huge sigh. "Well, thanks for frightening me like that!" she retorted angrily.

_"I'm sorry, Selphie, I didn't receive that last transmission…" _Rinoa said, the signal beginning to get weaker. _"We…find…Jus…wait…"_ The transmission cut out completely, and Selphie looked up at Cid, who looked at her equally shocked.

"What happened to the transmission?!" They said simultaneously, before their shocked look grew to horror as a small red light began to blink on the bottom of the screen.

The message read; _'Security compromised.'_

*          *            *

"So, what's it like living on the ocean?"

"Oh, it's ok…not much of a relationship advantage, seeing as we hardly ever meet with land-dwellers."

"Bummer, huh?"

"Oh, yeah! I broke up with this guy once, and he gave me crap for months and months…"

Irvine and July's conversation was rudely interrupted as Selphie burst out of the Infirmary, grabbing onto Irvine's arm with a tight squeeze, before bursting into a sprint down the corridor, pulling out her Flail as she went.

July watched her go, shocked, before turning to Irvine. "What's her prob…" Was all she got out as she turned to see two shotgun barrels levelled at her.

*          *            *

Selphie twisted around a corner – to meet a barrage of bullets, the gunfire echoing from down the corridor to ricochet around her. She squealed and ducked back around the corner, kneeling behind it as she formed a battle plan.

Ok…inside a compressed area, with about twelve guys at the end…remember, Selphie, you're inside a very expensive piece of equipment, and Laguna will kill you if you damage it…severely…ok, let's do it.

"Carbuncle!" She screamed.

A small indent formed in the floor before her, and the tiny green GF stuck it's head out if the small dimensional rip. It looked rather strange, like a dwarf with green dreadlocks and a smooth body. A red jewel with reflected the light perfectly shone on it's head. _Yes?_ It asked her, it's tinny voice rebounding it's way around her mind.

"Don't do that, just cast Reflect on me, will you?"

_You don't have to be so harsh, you know…_ The little green creature muttered, the jewel on it's head glowing briefly, before disappearing back down it's hole, the small circle disappearing as quickly as it was formed.

Selphie set her jaw and stood. "Right. Let's rock."

Stepping out into the corridor she began to run straight into the gunfire, screaming like a banshee as she brought her Flail down on the first opponent.

*          *            *

Irvine's face had gone from pleasant to a fearful blank. His arms were like steel rods, his hand encased in concrete as he continued to point the shotgun at July's face with one hand, his aim wavering not one iota.

July looked at him with confusion and shock. "What – what's going on?" She began to wave her hands in frustration, but Irvine moved forward a little more, pressing the gun to her forehead, forcing her to rest her head against the wall.

"No talk. And if you move you're hands once more, I'll blow you're brains out."

His normally relaxed voice was like a baseball bat to the face – blunt and to the point. July began to sweat, blinking away tears as she looked at him. "I…I just want to know what's going on…"

The door to the infirmary opened, and Zell walked out, now dressed in clean clothes, a blue tee and clean shorts. July turned her gaze to him, pleading with a look, but he returned the look with a blank stare. "Everything alright here?" He muttered to Irvine, his voice equally deadpan as his comrades.

"Sure, now that you're up." The sound of gunfire echoed through the corridor once more, and Irvine's gazed wavered slightly to it as he heard yet another battle cry from Selphie. "Can you see what's going on down there? I got everything covered here."

"Sure." Zell began to move past, before stopping and turning to July. "I almost trusted you, July…almost." With those words hanging in the air, he broke into a run, disappearing around the corner.

July slipped down to her knees and buried her face in her hands, weeping for all she was worth.

Irvine allowed it, but continued to hold the gun to her head without moving an inch.

*          *            *

Zell turned the corner, which looked like Shumi-cheese – bullet holes adorning the walls and floor. Screams of the injured or dying came from around the corner, as well as Selphie's battle cries.

Yells of "Hit her! Hit her!!", and "Stay back!! Fuck! Noooo!!", ripped through Zell like a chainsaw, and he turned the corner to see horror.

The walls were stained with blood, a pile of corpses lying on the floor and trailing down the corridor. One guy had his head smashed into a wall, another had his helmet crushed. Another looked like someone had beaten his to death with a lead pipe, whilst another was smoking quietly in a corner, fried beyond redemption, blue static the only remnants of a Thundaga attack.

Zell ran through the bodies out into the loading bay, and looked down at it from the higher doorway, standing on the landing of the stairs leading to the living quarters.

Selphie stood in the middle of a group of soldiers, bullets pinging around her as she jumped and flipped around them. Stopping before one, a single swing of the Flail killed him, before she cart wheeled in front of another. A soldier, mad with panic and frustration, turned to her, blasting wildly with a shotgun. She moved out of the way at the last second, the soldier before her having his head blown off by his crazy companion.

She moved like a ribbon through the air, with grace and fluidity – before stopping and dealing out punishment violently, like a female wolf guarding her cubs, striking devastatingly and leaving her prey either dead or dying very, very painfully.

It was when a rifle shot clipped her shoulder, her red glow fading rapidly as she fell twisting to the floor, that Zell sprang into action.

The soldiers began to surround her when Zell flipped off the railing of the doorway and landed behind them on his hands and feet, like a cat.

That gathered their attention, and they turned as one to see Zell pick himself up slowly, an evil grin spread across his tattooed face. "Hey, boys…" He muttered, cracking his knuckles. "How about picking on someone your own size?"

He guessed twenty men, all levelling projectile weaponry at him as he rolled his neck around the base of his spine, the cracks echoing in the vastness of the near-destroyed loading bay.

Their guns went off as one, round after round pounding into the metal wall behind him as he jumped high in the air.

Oblivious to his obvious escape, they continued to pump bullets into the wall, until they finally stopped, the only remnants of the attack the echoes of gunfire and the last of the shells hitting the floor. Gun smoke filled the room, and they popped spent clips and slammed in fresh ones, ejecting spent shells from shotguns and feeding new ones into breeches. Reloading finished; they stood with their weapons aimed, waiting for the smoke to clear.

Finally, their sight unobscured by the gun-smoke, they saw that they had been shooting at an empty wall. _He was gone._

A soldier, frowning in confusion at the emptiness of the area before him, felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned his head to see a grinning tattooed boy, before his neck twisted sharply, breaking like a twig, the snap more then audible.

All the soldiers turned to the sound as the soldier with a broken neck fell to his knees, then to the floor. Zell stood there behind him, hands on hips. "That's what's bad about guns. Too unreliable."

The group looked at him, shocked, before one man rushed the SeeD, a combat knife in hand. Zell slapped the weapon to one side and his hand flashed out, taking the soldier in the throat.

The soldier dropped his gun and gripped his throat, making little choking noises as he sank to his knees. Zell pushed him over with a sneaker to the chest, and walked forward. "But if there's one thing I hate about guns…" He muttered, moving into a man beside him, smashing his elbow into his stomach before right-angling his forearm, his fist hammering into the man's nose, killing him instantly. "…It's the fact…" He jumped and kicked one man in the chest, sending him flying back into a wall, the metal denting for his body to hold him, a plume of blood spurting from his head. "…That they're so noisy." Zell twisted on the spot suddenly, grabbing a man's head with a hand, the gloved fist smashing straight through the helmet and crushing his face with a simple squeeze.

He let the soldier drop and turned to the remainder of the group, fifteen men strong. His look said it all. _Leave, _**now**_, and I'll let you live a little longer._

They took a step back as one; their eyes blinking uncertainly as each man weighed their loyalty to their cause to their lives.

One man stepped forward, his demeanour cocky, his voice brash. "C'mon, guys! He's only one man…" His shouts of confidence quickly stopped as Zell picked up a body by the leg and threw it at the man, knocking him to the ground and out cold.

Zell's gaze could have frozen molten lava as it fell on the remaining fourteen men. "Anybody else feeling stupid?"

The men traded looks, some tentatively taking steps back towards the exit – before breaking into a run, dropping their weapons as they ran screaming for the ramp, falling over each other to escape the blond, tattooed monster after them.

Nine men remained, looking a little weary but still confidant. Zell smiled a small smile. "More balls then brains? That's ok." He lowered his head so he looked even more menacing. "_Nobody_ leaves here alive." He growled, his voice guttural as he took his position, one leg back and pinned, one arm raised high above his head.

The remaining soldiers all raided their guns as one, blasting him wildly, bullets screaming through the atmosphere around him as he moved _through_ the barrage, _dodging_ the bullets before they reached him – to come up in an uppercut to the first man he met, launching him into a comrade, knocking the both of them down, killing the first and knocking out the second.

Zell then ducked, swinging his leg out and knocking the man next to him down, causing him to fall on his back. Zell promptly broke his sternum by rolling open top of him and elbowing him in the chest, the resulting breakage shattering the tough bone, sending small shards into the soldiers lungs.

He didn't suffer long, however, as the soldier next to him turned and blasted him, aiming for Zell but missing by a few second. He looked up to see Zell standing before him, and didn't see anymore.

The soldier behind that one watched him fall, and watched as Zell removed the two fingers he had used to poke the soldier in the eyes, stabbing his brain in the process. He took a tentative step back, dropping his gun in the process – before running for it.

Zell watched him go – before ducking as the sound of a gun being cocked emitted from behind him, rolling out of the way as the rifle went off. The fleeing soldier mistakenly took one for the team and fell to the floor dead, his face strewn out before him.

Zell saw this – and went berserk, twisting around and ripping the rifle out of the man's hands, before backhanding the man, making him fall to his hands and knees. Zell kicked him in the stomach, launching him into his comrade behind him, propelling the both of them into the air – before being _blasted_ into atoms by a furious Firaga, the sudden burst of flames scorching the walls as ash trickled down from where two men once flew.

Turning on the spot, Zell threw the rifle at another man, catching him in the chest and causing him to stagger back – before running up to him and _smashing_ his fist into the man's chest, his back bending outwards as guts and bone were pushed back into the cavity created by Zell's massive punch. Zell followed through with the attack, lifting the man up by the stomach and twisting him over his shoulder and down to the floor, the metal ground denting down as Zell crushed the soldier down.

His eyes wild, he turned to the last soldier, his breaths laboured as he stalked towards the man, his fists balled so tight he could heard the knuckles cracking underneath the adamantine armour.

The man, terrified out of his mind, sweat dripping off his face and out from beneath his helmet, popped off a round at the mad tattooed boy before him.

Zell saw the bullet coming for him and didn't slow down, didn't even dodge – he simply _deflected_ the bullet with his glove, his hand moving so fast he didn't even see it as he instinctively slapped the hot lead away from him to ping into the ceiling.

Now insane with terror, the man switched his gun to full-auto, holding his finger down on the trigger, spraying the SeeD with bullets, the shells from his gun tinkling to the floor as he held the rifle with shaking hands.

Zell simply deflected them all, his hands moving so fast he couldn't even see them, still moving slowly towards the solider until he finally clicked on empty.

The soldier dropped the gun and let out a tiny sob, his back now against a wall as Zell moved right into him, getting right in his face.

Zell seemed to get an interested look on his face, as if he was seeing a new move or technique from a student. He ran his hand over the helmet of the terrified soldier, looking at it as he spoke, his voice infinitely quiet. "You know what happens when you enclose a tomato in a metallic ball, then crush the ball suddenly, in two equally pressured spot?"

The soldier, now hyperventilating with fear, shakily shook his head.

Zell smiled. "This."

He suddenly and ferociously slapped his hands on the two sides of the helmet, exactly where the soldier's ears would have been. The resulting uprise of pressure in the enclosed area blew the soldier's head to smithereens with a wet _splat_, but didn't compromise the integrity of the helmet. Zell stepped out of the way, and the man's corpse fell to its knees, the helmet rolling off where the neck should have been, bouncing twice before rolling to a stop. The body followed suit, finally collapsing.

"That's what you get for fucking with SeeD." Zell muttered to the group of corpses around him.

Zell turned to a pile of bodies and picked one man up, tossing him to the side.

Beneath him lay Selphie, her yellow dress still stained with Zell's blood, and now stained with several more men's blood. She was out cold.

*          *            *

Irvine and July sat in silence as the last gunshots echoed throughout the corridor. They had remained in that position for several minutes, Irvine still like a statue with his gun levelled to July's head, July now with her arms wrapped around her knees.

Irvine's gaze shot to the left quickly, before flicking back to July. "It sounds like they've finished."

July sniffed, having cried for the last ten minutes. "Who do you think won?"

"Did I tell you to speak?"

Silence grew once more, before the sound on footsteps began to echo down the corridor. A figure turned the corner holding something in his arms, and Irvine's free hand flicked up, a Vincent Valentine in his palm and aimed at whoever it was.

"Hey, Irvine, lower it a bit will ya?" Zell said in an annoyed tone, carrying an unconscious Selphie in his arms.

Irvine looked at her with fear. "She's not…"

"Nah, she's too good for that. She's just knocked out, that's all." Zell placed Selphie down on the floor beside Irvine and patted him on the shoulder. "And you can lower the shotgun too. I don't think July will try anything now the soldiers are down."

Irvine seemed to pause, before slipping the handgun back into its sleeve and allowing the hammers of the shotgun to be levered forward. He turned to Selphie and kneeled next to her, picking her up in his arms and cradling her to his chest like a child.

Zell walked forward and knelt before July, looking down at her. She still sniffled slightly, and Zell wiped the tears away with a gloved finger, making her look up at him. "What's going on, Zell?" she whispered, exasperated.

He looked down at her with sadness in his eyes. "I think you know what's going on, July. I think you know why Galbadian soldiers attacked the Ragnarok during a sandstorm. I think you know why I told Selphie to tell Irvine to guard you." He lifted her head with a gentle finger under the chin, making her look him in the eye. "And I think you know why we're here."

She looked up at him, her eyes watering once more, a single tear trickling down her cheek, unable to break Zell's sad gaze. "I'm so sorry, Zell…but we had no choice."

Zell nodded, his face collapsing from sadness to a version of defeat. "Which one of you told the Galbadians why we were here?"

"…Grey. He said…that you would…compromise our mission…and that we should deal with you…without getting our hands dirty…so he leaked that it was…Irvine that shot at the President, not you…"

"And what is your mission?"

July looked up at him, the tears now streaming down her cheeks. "I told you, to raise money for the Ship…"

Her words were cut off abruptly as Zell rammed his fist into the wall beside her head, embedding it in steel. "_Don't give me that crap, July!_" The Sorceress Hunter yelled into her face, little droplets of spit hitting her as he screamed. _"Now answer the question!!"_

She cried harder, sobbing uncontrollably as her idol, the man she had had a crush on for as long as she could remember, forced her to speak. "We…we were…we were to…"

_"Today, July! I need it today!!!"_

"We were sent to guard President Justice!!" She blurted out through the tears.

*          *            *

July stumbled down the ramp of the Ragnarok, falling to the sand outside by the push that sent her out. The sandstorm had subsided considerably, and she looked up at Zell standing in the entrance with sadness in his eyes.

"Go on." Zell growled, pointing his finger to the fighter's living area. "Go back to Grey. And tell him from me, the next time he tries something like this, even as a joke, he's going to get dead. Understand?"

She began to crawl forward up the ramp. "Zell…"

Zell stepped back off the ramp and into the Ragnarok, pressing the seal stud beside the ramp opening.

The ramp began to lift, causing July to slip off. She tumbled down into the sand, and picked herself up. "Zell! Please!!"

Zell simply looked down at her.

"Zell! You have to understand! I didn't want to do it this way! I want to work _with_ you! You have to believe me!!" July's cried, but her words began to drown out as the Dragon's afterburners kicked into life.

Zell didn't even try to wave. He simple turned and walked away from the opening, allowing it to shut behind him, shutting out the heat, shutting out the sadness…shutting out the temptation.

He sank to his knees as the Ragnarok took off, shaking horribly as it flew up high into the air, and slammed his fist into the floor.

Angel…I need you now more then ever… 

*          *            *

Now far from any attacking foes, the SeeDs decided that enough was enough.

Getting back on the line with Cid, Zell promptly asked for permission to go to the Sand Prison to see Squall in person.

"Well, you can if you want, Zell, but we lost transmission with them a little while ago…you'll be flying in blind."

"It's better then flying in with no idea what was going on." Zell muttered harshly, cutting transmission with a stab of a button.

When they reached the prison, it had been put into lock-down mode, burrowing deep into the sand around it. Selphie managed to land the Ragnarok a safe distance away from the Prison, in case it raised itself unexpectedly, and they piled out of the red dragon, making their way to the prison quickly.

Reaching the place where they had exited during the Sorceress missions, they saw several SeeDs trying to establish an uplink with a military radio.

Zell crept up to one of them and tapped him on the shoulder. "Bang, you're dead!" He yelled. The SeeD jumped with a start and swivelled on the spot, a staff swinging for Zell's head – which he deftly slapped to the side and tapped the SeeD on the temple softly. "Hyne, Jon, if you were any slower you'd be horizontal."

Jon let out a breath and rubbed his head. "Hyne, Zell, don't do that to me!!"

"What's going on here?" Irvine asked, walking up behind the Sorceress Hunter.

"Hey Irvine…we captured the Prison, but the safety devices kicked in a little earlier then expected, so half the team, including Commander Squall and Miss Rinoa, are buried under the sand…"

A large explosion rocked the area, and the wrought-iron door from which Zell and the others had escaped from before flew out of the car hanger and into the desert, never to be seen again. All the SeeDs turned to see Rinoa float out of the doorway, her Sorceress powers in full swing. Large white wings, like that of an angel, adorned her back, flapping slowly with great power, keeping her off the ground. Her eyes glowed a brilliant white, and excess energy smoked out of them.

When she saw sunlight, however, the glow faded, as did the wings, and she dropped to the ground. "Phew, finally." She muttered, dusting off her blue jerkin and black shorts, picking some white feathers off her back. "Hyne, I hate it when that happens…"

"Moulting again, Rinoa?" Zell called out, looking around the wall from where he ducked to dodge the flying door. "Maybe it's you're diet."

Rinoa perked up when she heard who it was. "Zell!!" she squealed, running up to him as he walked out and crashing into him, smashing the both of them to the ground. She picked herself up and beamed happily down at him. "wow! Thank Hyne you're here!!"

Zell, winded, simply nodded. "…Uh huh…"

Irvine waved from behind the wall. "Hiya Rinoa."

"Hi Irvine! Hi Selphie! Wow, we've really missed you! And what's it been, a week?"

Irvine walked out from behind the wall and helped Zell up. "Yeah, something like that…" He muttered as he got to his feet.

"Well, come on! You've got to see Squall…that s why you're here, right?"

Zell narrowed his eyes. "Well…that and another thing…"

*          *            *

They moved through the cold Prison, led by Rinoa, who happily chatted to them in the bleak environment. The place hadn't changed since the last time they had been there – cold, gun-metal grey walls, boring to a tee.

The spike they were in spiralled down, like a gigantic screw, making them walked all around the grounds and down the stairs. They would have used the elevator, but Rinoa said "We broke it during the fighting! Teehee!" The trip would have been a mite easier without Rinoa talking their ears off, but they knew it was a defensive manoeuvre for her – something she did when something troubled her.

They finally reached level twelve, where Squall and Watts were, and Rinoa stopped outside a door, hesitating in her ramblings for the first time since they met her. "Uh…you guys go ahead…I kinda…you know."

Selphie placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know." She looked up at Irvine and Zell. "You guys go on. We'll catch up later."

Zell nodded, but Irvine hesitated. "Uhh…I think I'll wait outside too, man." He said to the martial artist, patting him on the shoulder. "I'm not so sure I wanna hear Watts…you know."

"Ok, man." Zell said, understanding perfectly. _Watts…you almost destroyed all of us…but it wasn't you're doing. We have to remember that._ He patted Irvine on the shoulder and pressed the door's stud, the rusty door opening for him.

He stepped inside and shut the door behind him.

*          *            *

The room was more or less dark, with a single flickering light bolted to the ceiling. Moisture dripped from a corner in the roof, making tiny 'plik' noises as it dripped into as puddle. It was oppressively cold inside the cell, with none of the usual prison equipment – no chairs, no beds, no toilet, no nothing.

Someone was laid out beside the far wall, and another person crouched next to him. The crouching person looked up, and Zell could see cold grey eyes peering from the darkness. "Zell." Squall's icy voice rang out. "Come over here. And watch you're step."

"What for…?" Zell got out, taking a step forward – before slipping on something slick on the floor, causing him to fall forward. He threw out his hands to stop his fall, and managed to stop himself completely. He felt like he put his hand in a puddle of sticky water, but the smell of iron filled the air when he picked himself up, and he looked at his hand in the poor lighting.

It was wet with a red liquid. Zell guessed it wasn't cherry soda.

"For that." Squall muttered.

Zell stepped cautiously over the pool of blood and walked over to where Squall sat, next to the man laid out. His eyes adjusting to the darkness, Zell saw that it was Watts. "Oh, you poor bastard…" He muttered, looking at the damage he had gathered.

Watts was, for better words, naked, a military blanket thrown over his body to cover him. His chest was peppered with cigarette burns and long, sharp gashed, probably done by a Galbadian field knife. His face looked pulpy, like an orange that had been squeezed before it had been peeled, and two horizontal slits came from his eyes, his eyelids mercifully held shut by the coagulate blood.

"Z…Zell?" Watts croaked, his voice a shadow to the one Zell had heard not seven days ago. "Is…that…you…?"

Zell knelt down to the Timber Owl, taking his hand in his own. "Yeah, man. I'm here."

Watts grimaced in pain, and Squall batted Zells hand from Watts'. "They broke all his fingers, then slashed the tendons in his hands." Squall whispered in his ear. "They beat him almost to death. It's amazing that he's still alive and talking. So look, but don't touch, ok?"

Zell, eyes wide with horror, nodded his head. Squall leaned back, and Zell leaned forward, fighting for words. "Um…so…how you feeling, Watts?" He asked, before suddenly realising how stupid the words were in this situation.

He heard Squall face-palm, but Watts managed to croak out a chuckle. "Heh…heh…ow…don't…make…me…laugh…"

"Sorry, buddy."

"Don't…mention…it." Watts paused for breath. "You…know…that…you…are…the…first…person…to …ask…me…that?"

"Cool. I suppose I get a cookie, right Squall?"

Squall punched him in the shoulder and muttered something like 'grow up', but his whispered words were drowned out by Watts' pained chuckles. "Its…good…to…hear…you…sir…"

"It's good to hear from you buddy." Zell said with meaning. "What's it been, two years? We haven't seen each other in ages."

"Well…at least…one…of us…will…see…the…other…for one…last…time…"

Zell frowned. "No. Don't say that, buddy. You'll pull through. You'll see." He turned to Squall. "He'll pull through…right?"

Squall shook his head in the darkness.

Zell blinked. He looked down at Watts, who gulped painfully, then looked up at Squall once more. _Why not?_

"His injuries are too severe. We tried to use Cure, but it caused more damage then good. All we're doing now is waiting…waiting for him to die."

The words were spoken clear and loud from Squall, as if he didn't need to whisper anymore. Zell looked at him, dumbfounded. "How…how can you say that?! There's got…got to be some other way!!"

Squall shook his head.

"No…" Zell muttered, looking down at Watts, not wanting to believe it. "No, there's got to be another way…"

"…There…is…no…other…way…sir…"

"Shut up! There's always another way!!"

Watts was silent for a moment, composing himself, before croaking once more. "I'm…sorry…sir…for…all…the…hurt…I've…caused…you…"

Zell reached out with a hand, feeling the tears running down his cheeks as he realised that he couldn't stop him from speaking – any touch might kill him. He could only sit and listen.

"I…told…all…I…could…to…Commander…Squall." Watts paused to gulp air, like a beached fish, before continuing. "…I…only…hope…it…helps…somehow…"

Zell balled his hands into fists, shutting his eyes to kill the vision of the man lying before him. "…Shut up…" He choked, the tears pushing past his closed eyes. "Stop talking like you're already dead."

"I…already…am…dead…sir…"

Squall looked at Zell. "We're just waiting for Zone to arrive."

As if on que, a loud voice emitted from the room outside. "Where is he!? He's in here?!" The door slid open, revealing Zone, blustered from the train and car ride from Timber. His false bravado and cocky attitude melted, however, when he saw Watts lying on the other end of the room. He seemed to choke on his air, before walking in.

He stumbled over to where they all sat, slipping once when crossing the blood-covered floor, but not falling. He plonked himself down next to Watts and looked down at him. "Hyne…Watts…" he gasped, looking at the injuries.

"Hello…Zone…"

"Oh, Hyne, Watts, Look what you got yourself into." Zone said sadly, reaching out with infinite care and brushing the sweat from Watts' black and blue brow.

"Anything…for…the…Owls…right…Zone?" Watts whispered.

"Anything but my magazine collection." Zone said down to him with a smile. "You know if they threaten my mags, they've got me."

The two freedom fighters shared a chuckle, an old joke from the good old days, when they were simply teenagers fighting for the same cause. Neither would have thought that one of them would end their life like this – but neither of them actually thought they would see the end of their fight. "Justice just declared Timber independent, Watts." Zone whispered, wiping a bit more sweat from his friend's brow. "We did it. We won."

"…Cool…"

The door opened once more, and Zell, Squall and Zone looked up to see Rinoa standing in the doorway. She stood there for a minute, silhouetted in the light, beautifully hesitant, before Watts coughed violently. "Whoever…it…is…come…inside. You're…letting…a…breeze…in…"

Rinoa walked inside, the door sliding shut behind her. She moved around the blood and sat down in between Zell and Zone. "You know I wasn't raised in a barn, Watts." She said softly.

Watts smiled slightly. "I…thought…I…smelled…something…beautiful…" He coughed violently, and Zone wiped a little blood from his mouth. "I…don't…even…need…to…see…you…to…remember…you…princess."

Rinoa looked down at Watts, the tears running down her cheeks as she spoke. "Justice declared Timber independent, Watts. We won the fight. We won the war."

"…I'm…just…glad...I…got…to…hear…it…from…my…friends…before…I…go…"

Zell couldn't take it anymore, and he stood, moving to the other side of the cell, his tears infuriating him more then his helplessness in the situation. He wiped them away viciously, as if the action would wipe away the entire scenario, but more tears replaced them.

"I…I can…see…my…father…" Watts suddenly coughed, and Zell turned, wide eyed, to see Watts reaching for the ceiling, at something he couldn't possibly see, reaching with a broken arm. "I…I…won for you…father…" He paused, before a great smile adorned his beaten face. 

"He's happy, you guys."

And his arm fell.

*          *            *

Squall and Zell moved out of the room, leaving the weeping Rinoa and Zone to their mourning. The door slid shut behind them, and Squall looked at Zell, and through his own tears Zell could see Squalls grey eyes shining.

"We'll give him a proper burial…a SeeDs burial." Squall muttered.

"But…he wasn't a SeeD." Zell said, trying desperately to wipe away his tears.

"I know…but he deserves a Hero's burial."

With that, Squall brushed past the martial artist to walk down the ramp, his hand moving to his face as he went.


	13. Tournament Postponed!

Ch 13 – Tournament Postponed!!

When Rinoa and Zone finally came out of the room, they had dried their tears. Zone looked slightly lost, which was what he usually looked like.

Rinoa, however, looked more determined. Her beautiful face, red from crying, was set, her eyes hard.

Zell sat up from the seat he had taken and wiped his face with both hands. Rinoa walked over to him as he got to his feet. "Uhh…how you going Rinoa?" he muttered, wiping the last of his tears out of his eyes.

Rinoa smiled bravely, nodding and wringing her hands. "Yeah…I know Watts has gone to a good place…with his dad."

"Yeah…" He looked at Zone, who had walked off on his own, looking slightly lost. He cocked a thumb at him. "Is he going to be ok?"

Rinoa nodded, looking at Zone. "He'll be fine…he's known Watts for…well, forever…it hit him pretty hard." She sighed. "But he's tougher then he looks."

Zell nodded, lost for words. His words couldn't stop the wave of grief overcoming the both of them, just as much as he couldn't stop the grief that had taken over him. And hell, he had only vaguely known Watts. These people had known him _their whole lives_.

_You didn't need to know the man in order to grieve him._ A silent voice whispered in his mind. _People in Timber will weep in the streets after hearing what he had to go through in order to declare independence._

_You may be right, Siren…_ Zell pulsed back, watching as Rinoa walked down the ramp, following where Squall had gone. _But they wouldn't have known the man. They would only know his deeds._

_Deeds are what make us, Zell. You're actions show who you really are._

So are you telling me that I should stop the Tournament? Do I want to be known as a raging animal? Do I want people to know what I did to the Galbadian soldiers who stormed the Ragnarok? Do you expect me to turn around after all this and simply say 'I was only doing my job.'?

Deeds are what make us, Zell…

Zell shook his head and followed Rinoa.

*          *          *

He found Squall sitting by himself, with Rinoa crouched beside him, her arm over his shoulder as he stared into space. Zell walked up to them and crouched before them, looking at the ground. He knew that Squall should be the one to get the ball rolling – he just didn't know how roughly he wanted to hand it to him.

Squall didn't need any prompting, however. He simply spoke with his dead voice, like frozen stone. "All this time…and we thought he was ok."

Rinoa hugged him close to her. "There was nothing we could do about it."

Zell nodded. "She's right, man. We have to work through this. We have to continue."

Squall looked up at Zell, who returned the stare with equal glare. "Since when did you become so cold?" Squall muttered.

"What?"

Squall shook his head and stood, brushing down his coat. "Justice has been their target all along."

"What do you mean?"

"The Assassin…he's been shooting for Justice this whole time. The people who had Watts, they don't work for Galbadia. They're a terrorist group, looking to restore the Deling Regime."

Zell frowned. "What? Why? The Galbadian people haven't been happier since Justice was elected. I think there was some kind of vote for him a year ago…"

Rinoa nodded. "That's right. A vote for the reenlistment of Justice was held, and Justice won the vote nine-to-one against the other guy, some no-body from the east sector. I think the independence of Timber had been one of the reasons he had won so easily. The people simply loved him."

"But some other people didn't." Squall muttered. "The same sadistic people who had been under the control of Deling during the Sorceress regime."

Zell frowned. "but…I thought we had rounded them all up. They had been thrown in the slammer for war crimes."

Squall sighed. "Obviously we hadn't gotten them all."

Zell frowned suddenly, something coming back to him…

"…Well, lets just say you're not the only one with friends in high places."

"Biggs…" Zell muttered.

Squall looked up at him. "Biggs? You mean Commander Biggs? That weakling we took down during the Sorceress mission?"

"Yeah…he was at the selection process…he said he was the one who organised it…"

"Well, that explains the violent selection process."

Zell nodded, frowning deeper as he searched his memory. "Yeah…but I don't remember seeing him after that."

"Seeing you at the selection probably made him scared. He's probably hiding out somewhere." Squall muttered. "But he's not important. What is important is that we now know what the hells going on." He turned to Zell, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'm on leave, effective immediately after we finish up here. And I think you'll be needing all the help you can get with the coming events."

Zell nodded with a smile. "It'd be good to have you around again…I was beginning to wonder when someone was going to step in and take over for me."

Squall nodded, before pointing up the ramp. "Wait for us upstairs. I need to talk to Rinoa for a second."

Zell nodded, and ran up the stairs in twos…before stopping just in ear-shot of their words. Sitting down on the steps, he listened in. he had a feeling what the conversation was going to be about.

Squall walked over to the edge of the railing, looking down at the spiral as it twisted into darkness below. Rinoa walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his chest, resting her head on his back, not speaking. They stood like that for a few minutes, not talking, simply allowing each other to be close, to feel wanted.

Squall finally drew in a breath, standing straight, forcing Rinoa to let go of him. He turned his back to the darkness and looked her in the eyes. "Rinoa…Timber is independent."

Rinoa smiled, looking up at him happily. "That's right. We finally won."

"Right…" Squall sighed. "And this means that the contract that Cid drew up for you, all those years ago, is null and void." He reached up and pushed a lock of hair from her face in a rare show of affection. "You don't need to hang around me anymore. You're free. Free as the air we breath."

Rinoa seemed to pause, frowning slightly. "Hey, you're right. The contract is dissolved when Timber reaches independence." She looked up at him. "But…what are you saying?"

Squall sighed. "I've realised how restless you've been getting lately. The news of Timber…when we heard it, you remember what you did?"

"I ran and told anybody who listened, I was so happy!"

"Right…and that got me thinking…" Squall sighed once more, looking down at his combat boots. "Maybe…maybe you don't want to be at SeeD anymore. Maybe you want to go and do your own thing now."

"Squall…"

"I mean, you have you're whole life before you. And do you want to spend it with me? A mercenary for hire? A job that can get me killed at any minute? A job that guarantees that I'll have to be looking over my shoulder all the time, never relaxing, never resting." His voice got a little quieter, and Zell strained to hear. "A job where I couldn't even speak to you for security reasons…"

"Squall…what are you saying?" Rinoa's voice sounded like it was made of thin paper – ready to tear at any moment.

"I'm saying…maybe you don't want to be with me." He choked on the final words, and Zell blinked when he saw Squall looked up with tears in his cold eye.

"Squall…just because I don't have to be legally with you, doesn't mean that I don't want to." Rinoa whispered, wiping a tear away from his face. "Do you think I've been hanging around SeeD for all these years just because I got free food and board?"

Squall shook his head at the comment. "I just want you to know…some of the things I might have to do…I might not come back from."

"I realised that when we went through the Time Compression. We lost you then. But I found you. And that's all that really matters." She took his head gently in her hands and kissed him gently, before hugging him tightly to her. "Besides, you're my knight. A Sorceress needs a knight, right? I'd be lost without you."

Zell shook his head and stood silently, jumping stealthily up the rest of the steps, out of earshot. Their relationships had their own problems. They had to sort themselves out. And Zell didn't need to hear what would happen.

*          *          *

When they finally came up, Squall looked slightly less cold then usual, a little colour entering his tanned cheeks. "You ready to go, guys?" he asked, his voice neutral but his arm draped over Rinoa's shoulder.

"Whenever you're ready, Commander." Zell said with a salute and a smile, Selphie and Irvine standing behind him.

"Right then. Let's go. Selphie, we're going to see Laguna first." They all turned to go, Zell moving to catch up with the gang when he felt Squall's hand on his shoulder. "And Zell…next time I tell you we'll catch up, we'll catch up, ok?"

Zell's blood ran cold, and he expected a quiet but very scary chew out right on the spot, but all Squall did was smile a pearly-white grin and move past him. Zell stood, shell-shocked, before blinking and running to catch up to the gang.

*          *          *

The giant red dragon had taken off and was soaring through the air. They were mobilised.

Selphie and Irvine were in the cockpit, piloting the Ragnarok, which meant Rinoa, Squall and Zell were left to sit in the leisure quarters, talking about the last few weeks.

Zell was regaling his two friends about his two wins, adding in extravagant words and waving his hands about with glee.

"And then I went flying through the shield!!"

Rinoa, gripping Squall's hand with excitement and bouncing on her seat, squealed with glee. "What next! What next!"

"Well, because of my astounding reflexes, I managed to flip myself back onto the top of the device."

Squall smiled. "Bad move. The barrier was there for a reason."

"Right. But I didn't exactly have enough time to think properly. So I land on top, and the barrier starts to burn my skin, so I fell off…"

Zell mimicked the fall, grinning with glee as he flipped on his side and rolled his body through the air, watching as Squall and Rinoa grimaced simultaneously when he landed. "Ouch, that would have hurt…" Squall muttered. 

Rinoa shifted a little closer to him, looking a little scared. "What…what did you do then, Zell?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly at the thought of falling from a vehicle going at about Mach 1.

Zell picked himself up, smiling at their reactions. "Well, I was pretty banged up, so I had to use my last Curaga. Of course, then I was pretty pissed, so I…"

Selphie's voice came out over the intercom system. "Zell…we got a call for you…it's President Justice."

Zell paused in his showing of powering up for using Haste, and stood up straight. "That's funny…I expected him to call later." He looked up at the intercom box, his eye contact setting off the reply coordinator built into the box. "Ok. Selphie." He said loudly and clearly. "I'll take it in the leisure centre."

"Ok, Zell."

Zell smiled and turned to Squall and Rinoa. "I suppose you'll want to hear this?"

Squall stood, his attention to the story forgotten. "Absolutely."

*          *          *

Zell sat in a chair and pressed a button on the vid-screen. The red screen of the Ragnarok insignia flashed off to reveal a pale President. He sat up in his chair when he saw Zell pick up the line. "Zell! Where the hell have you been?! The sand storm died down, and the Ragnarok was gone!"

"Sorry, Prez! We had a little run in with some unsavoury types and decided that Centra wasn't the best place to be right now!"

Justice leaned back in his chair, his withered features seeming to realise something. "So…the White SeeDs were true. You were shooting for me."

"No. We had no intention to harm you."

"Then why run?!"

Zell rolled his eyes. "Justice! You sent armed soldiers in to kill us! I think that's reason enough to skedaddle!!"

Justice frowned. "No…you were to be detained. Not killed. I didn't order lethal force."

Zell frowned. "Well, when Selphie poked her head around the corner to take a look at our little stowaways, she near got it clean blown off!"

Justice leaned closer to the screen. "That's impossible, Zell. Those men are loyal and patriotic to Galbadia. They wouldn't go against orders, even such direct orders as those ones."

You're orders…or someone else's? Zell mused, but didn't say out loud.

Justice continued. "You were ordered to be detained and brought in for questioning…and not harmed in any way." He shrugged. "I figured SeeD wouldn't accept such a mission, but then the White SeeDs doubted you, so…"

"Well, you're boys were the ones who fired first, and we have the tapes to prove it." Zell muttered. "And we have reason to believe that the White SeeDs were misguided in one way or the other."

"Really? How?"

Zell leaned back in his chair. Squall was standing just behind him, and Zell reached up with a hand, touching Squall's hand.

In the milliseconds that the two pieces of skin brushed together, a whole GF conversation went on.

Siren spoke, her silent words echoing inside Squalls brain. Zell wishes to know if he can tell President Justice about White SeeDs current financial condition.

Tomberry replied, the cute but deadly monk monster's voice as misleading as ever, high and squeaky. Squall has no idea what you're talking about, woman.

Ellone hasn't been getting as much financial support as Balamb or any of the other Gardens have been getting. The ship has been going under for about a year now.

…Very well. Zell may tell the President. They were bound to find out sooner or later.

Zell leaned forward again. "The White SeeDs have been in financial trouble for almost a year now. I don't know if you know the costs for running an orphanage and a fully functioning ship, but it costs a lot. The White SeeDs entered the tournament in order to gather a bit of cash, in order to save their home."

"So what are you saying? That they were trying to kill off the competition?"

Zell shrugged and smiled lazily. "Something like that…"

Justice sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Well, there will have to be enquiries…I'm afraid the tournament will have to postponed until we figure out who this assassin was and why he tried to kill…whoever he wanted to kill!"

"He tried to kill me! Hell, he succeeded in killing me!" Zell said, gripping the edges of the screen. "Why don't you start there?!"

Justice frowned. "But are you sure…?"

"Of course I'm sure! The guy shot me six times after you left, Justice!! Whether it was a hired gun or a random event is something that you'll have to find out!!"

"No…that you'll have to find out."

Zell blinked. "Huh?"

"We'll hand him into your custody." Justice said professionally. "If he really wasn't going to kill me, then I suppose you would need to have the right to question him."

Zell leaned back in his chair. "Oh…ok." He said, slightly dumbfounded.

"Come back to Centra, and we'll hand him over to you." Justice saw Zell narrow his eyes, and chuckled. "You have my promise that nothing will happen to you. I see that you're intentions in the tournament are honourable now."

Zell continued to stare at the old man…before nodding. "Fine. We'll pick the geezer up in about one hour. No soldiers on the land zone except one guard, and only your people. I have a feeling that the guys who came on board our ship wasn't exactly with you're regime, Justice."

"What do you mean, Zell?"

Zell killed the transmission with a press of a button, and swivelled his chair to face Rinoa and Squall, who had crossed his arms and frowned. "You shouldn't have said that, Zell. He might get suspicious to why you're really here."

Zell waved a hand at Squall dismissively. "Bah. He doesn't know anything."

"He might know more then you or I will ever know, Zell."

"What do you mean by that, Squall?"

Squall sighed and looked down at his boots. "Remember when we went down to the bottom of the Research Facility to get Eden? And in one of the chambers were all those long tubes filled with goo?"

Zell frowned, thinking back.

A rusty door slid open. Stale air had wafted out. "This isn't the way." Zell had said, but he had quickly peeked in anyways. Long, green tubes had filled the room, lining the walls. Zell had walked up to one, tapping the glass…and jumping back in shock and horror as a body floated through the green murk, it's skull showing through tattered flesh, bits and pieces torn off here and there with age. Zell had run straight out of the room with his tail between his legs.

"I remember I scared the shit out of me…' He muttered, before looking up, his eyes wide. "No. Those guys were all dead. There's no way…"

"Yes there was." Squall replied, his voice deadpan. "As we came back up after getting Eden, I saw a strange glow come from the room, but we passed it. And you only saw one tube, Zell. I saw one man who was intact. And that was the man I just saw you talking to."

Zell's eyes widened as he remembered something the old man had told him when they had first met. 

"I know about the side-effects of GF use, young man. Believe it or not, I used to be in the Galbadian army, and fought in the Sorceress war."

"Well, this explains a lot…" Zell muttered, before standing. "Well, we'd better tell Selphie to head back to Centra."

Squall frowned. "Wait, what about Laguna?"

"Squall, I got killed by this guy. I think I have the right to beat his skull in for a little while. Besides, now that we know that Laguna's out of danger, why would we need to go to him right now?"

*          *          *

Hey there, Zell fans! How's the story going? Good, eh? This is Kenny writing to you, the loyal fans of FF8 Tournament, and I hope you're enjoying this.

A few things I need to point out…

1. The competition is starting to come to a close! So keep sending in those votes! And please, only choose one person! It's not good when you write in and say 'ooo, I think it's Squall…but it might be Rinoa!' that's just confusing!!

2. Please, PLEASE put in you're e-mail when reviewing! I like to answer to all you lovely people who review my work, in order to get a better understanding of what you like. (And I swear that I will not spam you anything. As long as you don't do it to me, I won't do it to you.)

3. Grovelling will be accepted, as I have a VERY kind heart, and may in fact add in some other people as supporting characters. I've already added the lovely Goth, Emily Strange, as the next opponent for Zell, so try and feel lucky when I reveal the TRUE IDENTITY OF THE ASSASSIN TO BE YOU!!

4. As for the Commander character in the last, I can use a Codename (i.e. you're writing alias) if you wish – but I'd prefer real names, thank you.

5. Remember people, I haven't pre-written one scrap of writing that comes into FanFic. It's all spur of the moment kinda stuff! I just slap on some Limp Bizkit and let the art flow!! So remember, your reviews can influence the way I write the story!! Remember that!!!

Right! I've got an interrogation scene to write, so Semper Fi!

Keep reading and reviewing!!

Michael Kenny


	14. Dead Ends

Ch 14 – Dead Ends

In Centra, on the Serengetti Plains, five people stood.

Or, to be more correct, four people stood, and one sat.

They all stared up at the sky, waiting and watching. Watching for a gigantic metallic dragon.

One man, his hair grey at the temples, brushed his suit down for the third time since he had been out on the designated landing area. He was dressed in a full formal suit, and the blistering heat made sweat dot his old forehead, and he wiped away the beads with a handkerchief.

Another man was sweating, but not from heat. Ok, also from heat, but that wasn't what was making his really sweat bullets. He was dressed in Galbadian Prison fatigues – a dull orange – and had large manacles clamped to his wrists and feet. Even if he wanted to run, he wouldn't get far. But he was man enough to accept his fate.

The boy standing behind him, his grey eyes slashing up into the sky, didn't sweat a bead. His cool demeanour was also reflected in his dress – a simple black shirt and black slacks, with black combat boots. Infinitely mysterious, he kept one eye on the sky as well as one eye on the man in the orange fatigues.

The only female in the group, the girl stood away from the rest, like an outcast, yet still looking to the sky all the same. Her blue eyes were not filled with wonder like the old man's, or cool confidence like the boy in grey – they were filled with a desperate hope. Her white skirt ruffled in the breeze, and she let a hand slip from its grip of the other to push it back down, not letting her gaze slip from the cool blue for one instant.

The final sky-gazer, sitting in a wheelchair, simply looked up at the sky with a muted interest. His contribution to the events had been minimal, at the least, and therefore he had little interest in the affairs coming to a close at the landing zone. He had simply come to see the giant red dragon again, in all it's technological glory.

He didn't need to watch much longer.

*          *          *

Selphie sat in the pilot seat, the red dragon and it's crew at her mercy as she made _yet another_ corkscrew, laughing hysterically as she went. It was extremely rare that she was allowed this privilege, and she milked the Ragnarok's flight manvuoroablity for all it was worth.

Irvine sat in the co-pilot's seat, hanging on for dear life and wishing that she'd let up on the corkscrews and simply went back to doing flips. At least with the flips you had enough time to grab onto something before the floor went to where the ceiling was supposed to be. They had all gotten used to Selphie's flying – but they couldn't tell when she was about to do another manoeuvre.

In the leisure quarters, Squall pulled his head out of the drinks cupboard and spat out several coffee beans and a tea bag, before reaching, with infinite patience, for the contact unit for the cockpit.

Pressing the switch, his voice deadpan, Squall spoke into the little box in his hand. "Selphie? Are you reading me?"

_"Yes,Squall!!"_ Was the excited reply.

Squall, his voice still very much neutral in tone and body, spoke into the box once more. "A little warning next time you do that, ok?"

_"OK, Squall!!"_

Squall placed the box back into it's holder, gripped the nearest thing close to him – a coffee cup – and proceeded to shatter it in a fit of frustration.

Zell and Rinoa, safely buckled into the sofa, laughed out loud at Squall's ineptitude at getting them all a simple cup of coffee. "Getting too used to pushing pens, hey Squall?" Zell yelled over Rinoa's howling.

"Zell, you say that again and you wont receive coffee in you're cup. You'll receive something altogether nasty." Squall trained his deathly gaze at the giggling Rinoa. "That goes for you too."

Zell and Rinoa sat up straight, their face's neutral as Squall turned back to fixing them all a beverage of some sort. 

Rinoa and Zell looked at each other, seeing each other's expression. Zell, his body getting over his willpower, snorted at Rinoa's face.

"I heard that." Squall muttered, his voice coming from a cupboard below the counter level. "Where the hell is everything…?" He muttered, the sound of clinking and clanking eating plates and bowls emitting from the counter.

Zell, fighting for dear life, tried not to laugh out loud. Rinoa wasn't helping.

*          *          *

"Is that them?" Grey muttered, raising his hand to shade his eyes from the harsh sun.

"I think so…" Sam said, wheeling his chair closer to his black-garbed counterpart. "But what are they doing?"

They all watched as the big metal dragon did a flip, before corkscrewing it's way to the ground, the twist ending perfectly, the dragon stopping almost instantaneously to hover to the ground gracefully, blowing sand everywhere as it's down-thrusters kicked in to slow it's decent.

The sand kicked up settled in a minute, and the group watched as the Ragnarok sat in the sand, the sunlight glistening off it's shiny metallic hull.

*          *          *

Selphie, sighing that the ride was over, grabbed the intercom transmitter and pressed the button. "That was Flight oh-two-five-six, from Sand Prison to the Serengetti Plains. Pilot Selphie Tilmett here, wishing you a safe journey, and asking you to please make sure that all you're seat trays are in their up-right positions, thank you!" she replaced the transmitter and looked over at a dishevelled Irvine. "That was fun, huh?"

Irvine, trying to find where his fedora had fallen in the last flip, looked up to her and smiled awkwardly. "Uh…yeah, hon…a real blast." He also absently tried to gather all the spilled ammunition that had fallen from his pockets too, but gave up after a few minutes.

*          *          *

Squall turned to Zell, looking him in the eye. "You ready?"

Zell nodded, looking around him. The loading bay, having suffered two separate attacks from Justice's men, looked a little worse for wear – scorching from magic use, bullet holes drilled almost _everywhere_, and several bloodstains from the fallen Galbadian defectors. He looked back at Squall. "Do you reckon we can ask him to pay for these repairs?"

Squall rolled his eyes and slapped the door-open mechanism. "Oh, get serious, Zell..."

"Hey, I am serious! Laguna is going to _kill_ me when he sees this!!"

"Is that why you wanted to come here first?"

Zell looked at his shoes. "Kinda…"

The door fully open, the two SeeDs walked down the ramp, looking around for the party they were supposed to meet. Zell placed a hand on Squall's chest when he saw the group. "Hey. Those are the White SeeDs I told you about."

Squall looked them over. "A man…a girl and a cripple." He cocked an eyebrow. "They don't look like much."

"Don't underestimate them, man. The boy in black is a master at martial arts, and the girl is a level twelve user."

Squall whistled. "Impressive…but what about the boy in the wheelchair?"

"I don't know. He wasn't up and about long enough to figure out what he was like. But he's a SeeD, so he can use magic all the same."

Squall shrugged. "Whatever. Lets go."

The two moved forward, trudging slowly through the sandy dunes, until they got to the group. Squall moved forward first, raising his hands in a sign of surrender. "We come in peace."

The boy in black gestured to Squall's belt. "What's that, then?"

Squall looked down at his gun blade butt. "What, this?" He asked with eyebrows raised, unclipping it in one swift grab and pressing the button on the side, the blue energy blade suddenly flashing out in one smooth movement. "It's called the Lion Heart. Custom made to my specifications in Esthar. There's no other like it."

The group of five took a collective step back as he advanced, holding the shimmering blade forward…before he pressed the button again, the blade dissolving as quickly as it had appeared. "Only one person has broken it's blade…and no other." He shot a glance at Zell, before looking at the boy who had spoken. "And you are?"

"My name is Grey." The boy said. Amazingly, Zell seemed to detect a hint of fear from the cold voice. "And I'll thank you to keep you're distant."

Squall clipped the gun blade back to it's clip, and nodded, before looking at the old man. "And you must be President Justice. It's an honour to meet you, sir. I only wish it had been on less…" He looked at Grey and July, both ready for anything. "…Hostile circumstances."

Justice moved forward and held out his hand, which Squall took. "Believe me, Mr. Leonheart, I wish it had been under different circumstances too, but a lot has happened today." He looked over at Zell, who stood behind Squall. "Zell…how are you?"

His voice seemed full of genuine concern, and Zell decided to reply. "I'm cool, President Justice. Thanks for asking."

"Good…" Justice turned to the man in orange fatigues, and gestured for him to come forward. "This is the man you want, isn't it?"

The man waddled forward, and Squall lifted a little device to the man's face. 

*          *          *

The device flashed, and the man's face was sent back to the Ragnarok, where Selphie and Irvine sat at the ready, Rinoa standing behind them. The man's face came on screen, and Selphie looked at it.

_"Well, Selphie?"_ Squall's voice said, coming from the microphone in the device. _"Is this our guy?"_

Irvine looked at Selphie. "Is it him, Selph? I didn't get a good look at him. You're the only one who did."

Selphie nodded positively. "Yes. It's him."

Rinoa craned her head between them. "Oh, but he's a cutie. Why would a cutie want to kill Zell?"

Irvine looked up at her, smiling. "Hey, babe, look who you're talking to? I'm assassin extraordinaire, and I'm a cutie!!" He grinned at her lewdly, before an elbow to the gut from Selphie made him shift his sight back to the screen, thoroughly cowed. "Hey, I was only kidding around…no need to get physical." he mumbled.

"We'll talk about it later…" Selphie muttered back. "But that's the guy, Squall. I'm sure."

*          *          *

"Good." Squall lowered the device and placed it in a pocket, before grabbing the man's arm. "You're coming with us now."

The man looked at President Justice with wide-eyes. "You're not seriously going to let these war-mongers take me, are you?"

Justice looked at the man with cold eyes. "Son, you were destined to cross their paths as soon as you picked that gun up and pulled the trigger."

The man began to yell, and Squall cast Silence on him, his words now sounding like nothing. Mutely screaming, the man began to struggle, before Squall grabbed him by his shirt-front and pulled him close. "Co-operate – and maybe I'll think about not letting my friend get a hold of you."

He twisted the man's head to the left, where Zell stood. Zell waved and smiled with good nature. "Hi. Remember me? I'm the guy you filled with lead this morning."

The man's eyes went wide with horror, before they rolled up until the whites showed, and he fainted.

Squall tossed him to Zell, who slung him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Squall turned back to the group. "Thank you for co-operating. Once we have what we need from him, we'll give him back for a proper trial."

Justice shifted his weight uncomfortably. "You're not going to…hurt him, are you?"

Zell smiled. "Don't worry about him. He'll have all his fingers and toes when we give him back."

Squall nodded, before turning to Zell. "Right, Lets go."

Zell nodded, turning with Squall as he walked past the warrior, before turning back to the group. "I expected more from you, Grey." Zell muttered, looking the boy right in the eye. "Not to use underhanded tactics like this."

Grey didn't waver one bit. "Ellone told us to win no matter what we had to do. If that means we have to dirty our noses a little…then so be it."

Zell frowned at that, but didn't reply – he simply turned to Justice. "And what about you? What do you think of their actions?"

Justice shrugged. "I must admit, they were unorthodox…but they have a worthy cause to uphold. I suppose I shouldn't get in the way of that."

Zell frowned at that comment too…before smiling. "I suppose you're right." With that, he turned and followed Squall, moving back to the ship.

*          *          *

As they moved back to the living area for the fighters, Sam rolled a little forward, moving behind Grey. "What do we do now?"

"Nothing." The boy replied, his eyes narrowing. "We continue as if nothing has happened." He turned to July, who was walking slowly behind them. "Are you ready to join us once more?"

July looked up at them, before returning her gaze to the sand. "I'm sure we could have figure out something else…something that wouldn't have put him in such as bad light…"

"He doesn't like you." Grey muttered harshly, turning back to walk forward. "Get over it already."

Sam frowned. "Hey! What's wrong with you?" He said fiercely as Grey walked away from them, but before he could continue he was stopped by July's soft hand on his shoulder.

"No, Sam…" She said dully, her eyes dried of tears. "He's right. We simply move on. Keep an eye on Justice, and win. That's all we have to do now."

*          *          *

The trio stumbled aboard the ship with a minimal of fuss, the ramp closing behind them. Zell looked at the guy draped over his shoulder and promptly dropped him to the floor, his body making a low thump as it hit the metallic floor. He slept on.

Zell looked at Squall. "Do you wanna check for any bugs and things?"

Squall crouched next to the man, looking him over. He had long black hair, which flowed over his broad shoulders. He was relatively fit, but wasn't massive. The manacles snapped to his hands and feet would have been easily broken by a SeeD – but this guy was small time. The fatigues he wore were standard issue Galbadian prisoner fatigues – one piece, uncomfortable as hell, stank if you sweat in them. Which all prisoners did. Eventually.

Squall pulled the same device that he took the man's picture with and held it over his head. A small blue beam came out of it, covering the man's face, and Squall ran the beam down his body. There was a small beep as it came to the handcuffs, and Squall removed them. "We have something here."

Taking the handcuffs in his hand, he turned them over and over, before finally finding the tiny switch to the left of the keyhole. The panel next to the keyhole flipped open, and a tiny electronic device winked up at him. "Well, hello there…" he muttered, pulling the device from it's niche and looking it over. He shrugged and tossed it to Zell.

Zell caught it and held it close to his eye, looking at it with interest. "Mark 3 Transmitter, huh? The Galbadians have been upgrading their stock of late, I see…" he said as he flicked it up in the air, like flicking a coin, before catching it in his hand and holding it close to his mouth, putting on a radio DJ's swanky voice. "This is Zell Dincht, giving you another classic, Dead Silence by My Hand. Enjoy." He chuckled and shook his head as he crushed it easily, the device popping in his hand with a tinny puff as he applied a little pressure.

Squall stood. "He doesn't have anything else on him. Let's get him to the brig, and we'll figure out what to do with him later."

Zell nodded, scattering the remnants of the Mark 3 for the cleaning bots to recover, and picked up the unconscious sniper, slinging him over his shoulder once more.

*          *          *

Squall and Zell went down to the brig, collecting Rinoa and Selphie along the way. The plan was to get the guy talking as quickly as possible, using any means necessary. And the first rule of SeeD interrogation – appeal to the target's taste.

Rinoa stood aside from Squall and Zell with Selphie, and looked down at Selphie once more. "Ok. Run it through me one last time. You want me to do _what?"_

Selphie looked up at her. Rinoa was only about a few inches taller, but that didn't make her any more experienced in this kind of thing. "Look, we're not asking you to pull his pants down and give him a rogering. We're just asking you to…you know, swagger a bit."

"Swagger?! I don't swagger for anybody but Squall!!"

Squall blushed slightly. "Rinoa, please…"

"Besides, why do we need to do this? How do we know he's not gay, or something?" She looked at the unconscious man, his long black hair trailing down over Zell's shoulder. He was snoring quietly. "He's pretty handsome…and we all know the handsome ones are gay."

Squall and Zell looked at her, their expressions deadpan. Rinoa smiled, slightly embarrassed, and waved her hands. "I didn't mean it that way…"

Squall grunted. "Whatever…the point is, guys who are this radical are usually straight, and will bend over backwards for a pretty girl if she pouts her lips in their general direction. We're not asking you to do anything you haven't done before to get information out of anybody. I'm sure you've done this kind of thing in the Owls before, right?"

Rinoa pouted. "I never had to do _this_ kind of thing. I usually beat the crap out of them until they began to talk."

Zell grinned. "You just leave that bit to me and Squall here. If you can't get him to sing, then we'll just have to make him loosen his vocal chords a bit."

Rinoa crossed her arms and leant on the wall of the elevator. "Fine. I'll do it. But I won't like it."

Selphie smiled. "Neither will I. Which is why I'll play the sweet one, and you…well, you'll get the really good part…"

*          *          *

In the brig, which wasn't really a brig – a brig was a container at the bottom of a tanker or a sailing ship, not a gigantic flying dragon – Zell dumped the guy on a chair in a separate room. He sat him up straight, straightened his clothes, and removed the manacles on his feet. His preparations finished, Zell stood to go, before stopping, almost as an after thought. Turning back around, he slapped the guy a few times, bringing him around.

The guy looked up groggily. "Where…where am I?"

Zell held up his hand. "How many fingers?"

The guy blinked. "Four."

Zell looked down at his two fingers and shrugged. "Eh, close enough." With that he turned and walked out, leaving the sniper all alone.

The guy blinked again, and reached up to rub his eyes. In doing so, he found that he wasn't chained up anymore, and neither was his feet. Getting up and walking around, he did a few legs stretches to loosen up. His legs had been bound together for almost all day, and he felt a little tight.

He stood straight, however, when the door opened and two people walked in. Two female people, to be exact.

Rinoa and Selphie both moved into the room, allowing the door to shut behind them, before Selphie gestured to the chair that the guy had occupied before. "Take a seat, please."

The guy sat down willingly, and Selphie smiled slightly. "Well, let's start small." She moved to the table and sat down opposite the guy, looking at him across the table. Rinoa remained standing, leaning against the wall next to the door. Selphie leaned forward a little, allowing the guy to get a good look at her chocolate brown hair and big green eyes. "What's you're name?" _Big guy,_ was the unspoken words.

The guy smirked. "I'm not that stupid. I'm not telling you my name."

Selphie smiled sweetly. "We'll find out eventually. Why not tell us now?" her voice was small and innocuous, like a child's.

"Because." Was the one word reply, as blunt as a bowling pin.

Selphie felt like putting a fist through the smirk on the guys face, but instead got up off her chair. "Well, what do we call you then?" she asked, moving around the table to sit on it next to him, sitting on the table, her legs dangling just off the ground.

The guy seemed to be thinking, frowning and looking at the table in front of him. It was made of steel, glinting metallically in the single light on the ceiling, and was bolted to the ground. He twisted his mouth as he thought, before finally looking up at the tiny SeeD. "You can call me Shooting Star. That'll do for now."

Selphie shrugged. "Ok. Shooting Star. Good enough for a code name." she shook her hair out a little, running her hand through it, allowing the curls to bounce naturally. "So, where you from, Shooting Star?" She asked the question as if he had just tried to pick her up in a bar.

Shooting Star smiled. "Around."

"Ooo, around." Selphie looked at Rinoa, smiling happily. "Hey, Rinoa, this guy's been places."

Rinoa smiled, but said nothing, simply standing next to the door, her hands clasped in front of her.

"So, Shooting Star, where you been?" Selphie continued.

"Here and there. I've been to Timber, Trabia, Esthar…you know. Around."

"Ahhh…so, you have friends around places."

"Yeah…" he replied, before frowning. "And they'll come and get me soon. You'll see."

"Oh, I don't think so." Was Selphie's immediate reply. "We're currently hovering over the Great Sea, somewhere around…Fisherman's Horizon, I believe. So no-one will find you any time soon." She leaned a little closer. "So, what do you have to tell us about a certain incident this morning?"

Her sudden mood change – from slight, seductive and out putting to aggressive, in the blink of an eye, startled both Shooting Star and Rinoa, but Star was the only one who reacted. "You…you can't do anything to me. I…I got rights…"

"Not here you don't, big guy. You're dealing with SeeD, not Galbadia. We're a mercenary company, not a government off-branch. We go by our own rules." She leaned a little closer to him, his nostrils suddenly filled with her scent. "So be a good boy, and maybe I won't have to get rough."

The sniper was beginning to sweat. "I…I've been through torture classes. You'll get nothing from me."

Selphie narrowed her eyes. "Right…"

She hopped off the table and moved around to Rinoa, placing a hand onher shoulder. "Do you know who this woman is?" The guy shook his head timidly, and Selphie continued. "She's the current incarnation of the Sorceress, imbued with unlimited magical power, and something not to mess with."

Rinoa walked forward suddenly, hand outstretched over the table. "Hi!" she said pleasantly with a smile. "My name's Rinoa!"

Shooting Star shook the hand gently, suddenly realising who's company he was gracing. "You're…you're kidding…right?"

Rinoa stood straight and shook her head. "Nah. I'm the Sorceress."

"But…but that's crazy! The…the Sorceress is in space…she was dead long ago…"

"The power is passed along. I was unlucky enough to get it."

The sniper shook his head determinedly and sat back in the chair, crossing his arms. "I don't believe it. You're just trying to scare me into talking. Well, it won't work…" 

His voice tapered off as he watched Rinoa close her eyes and clench her hands, her tiny fists trembling as she called upon the power within her. There was a tearing sound, and something flapped out form her back. They were white wings, and they grew larger until they almost filled the tiny room, craning around her. She looked like an angel as her slim body lifting off the ground to float just a few inches off the floor through sheer power.

She opened her eyes slowly, the white glow making them smoke, the smoke curling up and over her eyebrows. She seemed to move slowly, yet fast, as if everything else slowed down just for her. Her voice wasn't spoken – it was simply _heard_. _Now do you believe me?_ It said, the cold chill touching the sniper's brain, causing him to jump out of his chair, knocking it over as he back against the wall.

"This…this is impossible…" He stammered, looking at her as she moved forward, the metal table bolted to the floor simply _sheering in half_ for her, bending left and right as she floated towards him, walking on air, her wings folding around her like a birds, tucking in behind her back.

She walked right up to him, pressing her body against his, running a hand over his face. _Tell us what we want to know…and we can end this quickly.  She pulsed into his head, her clear white eyes looking into his. She cocked her head to the side as he stammered a little more, before pushing away from him, grimacing._

She floated/walked out of the room, pausing just next to Selphie. _He won't talk. We'll let the boys handle it from here._

Selphie nodded, and pressed the stud for her, letting her move out of the room. She began to follow, before pausing just in the doorway, turning to look at the Sniper. "You know…it would have been much easier for you if you had simply told us what we wanted to know." She shook her head sadly. "Now you have to get hurt."

She walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her.

Squall and Zell sat waiting for her, Squall with his arms around Rinoa's waist, her wings flapping a little as she sniffled. _He seems like a nice person…only misguided. She pulsed, her white eyes looking into Squall's grey gaze. _Try not to hurt him too much.__

"I can't make any promises, Rinoa…" Squall said, wiping a single tear from her cheek. "But I'll try to make it brief for him." He looked down at the tear stain on his finger. It glowed with her power, before fading slightly.

"Yeah, Rinoa. We'll be nice." Zell said with a grin, cracking his knuckles. "We're not sadists, you know."

Rinoa looked at him and smiled. _I know, Zell, it's just that…_ there was a sound in everybody's head, like a massive sigh, before she began to move for the elevator. _I think I'll go for a fly around…clear my head._

Selphie walked up to the two boys, and smiled. "He acted tough, but I managed to glean a few things off him. Like the fact that he knew bout Sorceress Adel in space. And that he's a wide traveller. _And he's had torture classes." Her smile became a seroious line. "He's not just some SeeD hater. He's been trained. So be gentle…but not too gentle, ok?"_

Zell's grin didn't waver one bit. "Oh, don't worry about that, Selph. I get the feeling that he'll be singing like a canary in a bit."

Selphie smiled and walk onto the elevator with Rinoa, who flapped her wings a little once more, flinging white feathers everywhere. Selphie began to pick them out of her hair and moved to the far end of the elevator as the doors closed, shutting the girls off from Zell and Squall's view.

Zell looked at Squall, and Squall smiled. Zell grinned. "How do you live with that?"

"Lets put it this way – I know where she's been most of the time." Squall replied, showing a rare sign of humour. He chuckled at his joke, but Zell simply shook his head and walked to the door.

"I'll warm him up for us, k?" He muttered over his shoulder at Squall.

"Whatever."

Zell chuckled and opened the door, walking in and closing the door behind him.

*          *          *

The room was dark. It wasn't supposed to be dark. Who turned out the lights?

Zell took a step forward cautiously – before flinging his fist out to the left, connecting with a jaw. There was a yelp of pain, and the thump of a body hitting the floor, as well as a clatter of something metallic dropped to the ground.

Zell sighed, and, lifting his right hand, clicked his fingers. A small ball of fire suddenly burst in his palm, and he lifted it high to look around. The sniper had managed to wrench one of the legs off the destroyed table, and had bashed out the light on the ceiling.

Zell placed his free hand on his hip. "Damn. Now I'm going to have to fix that too. Do you know how much one of these things cost?" he said down at the man, who had crawled to the table leg and picked it up once more, standing now.

Zell smiled in the flickering Fire light. "And what are you going to do with that?" he asked.

"My mission is to kill you, no matter what." Shooting Star replied, stalking forward menacingly. "Even in these circumstances." He suddenly lunged, swinging the table leg down like a baton, but Zell simply slapped the attack aside and head butted the guy, causing him to stagger back and drop to the ground once more.

"Oh, come on." Zell said, rolling his eyes and walking over to the guy. "Who do you think you're up against?" He grabbed the guy by his shirt-front and stood him up against the wall, Shooting Star too groggy to do anything. Zell then righted his fallen chair and sat him down in it. "There you go, buddy. Now just sit there, ok?"

Turning to the broken fixture in the ceiling, Zell lifted his hand and blew the Fire spell up at the fixture. It floated up to the fixture and stopped, flicking slightly before growing to fill the fixture completely. It would have to do until they were finished with the room.

Squall finally entered, took one look around him, and said nothing. He simply moved to the table, and placed the things he was carrying down on a part that was still standing.

Shooting Star looked at the items on the table. "What…what are those?" he asked.

Squall looked down at the items, and spread them out to show his victim. "This…" he said, holding up a vial. "…Is an X-potion…a small dose will fully restore you're health." He lifted a small rock. "…This is a Dynamo Stone..." He lifted a small tube. "This is a spool of copper wire…." He picked up the final item. "…And this is a Steel Orb." He placed them all on the table, and walked over to the sniper, crouching before him. "Now, normally, these items are innocuous – couldn't harm a fly, let alone a fully grown man. But, if used properly…" 

His grey eyes narrowed and he smiled evilly.

"…They can dish out a whole lot of pain."

*          *          *

Several hours later, the door opened, and Zell and Squall walked out tiredly. Irvine was waiting for them, looking at them evenly as he leant against the wall next to the door. "So? How'd it go?"

Squall looked tired and a little frustrated. "He's a nobody. Trained with some Estharian rebels when he was a kid, then travelled around for about for a few years after that, taking small assassination jobs here and there to gather money. He says he got this job from one of his friends – a SeeD hater. He wanted Galbadia SeeD to pay for all the stuff they did under Edea's rule, and took Zell to be a main target after watching him fight." 

He brushed past Irvine, stepping onto the elevator with anger and stabbing the up button with a knuckle. "He's nothing. Cut him loose."

Irvine and Zell watched the doors close, before Irvine turned to Zell. "What do you think?"

Zell shook his head sadly. "He's nothing. Just a kid who got taken in by the wrong crowd, and grew up believing in the wrong ideals." He shook his head again. "A sad life, but that's what happens in the world."

"What do we do now?"

Zell sighed. "We give our report and the guy to the Galbadians, and send to Balamb for an official enquiry for the SeeD hater cell. He's given us everything, so it'll be wiped up and forgotten in a month…"

"No, I mean, what do _we do now." Irvine said, shaking his head. "We still have no idea who __our assassin is. It isn't this guy, so…who is it?"_

Zell looked at Irvine for a second…before shrugging nonchalantly. "I'm stumped. I suppose we'll just have to wait until he shows himself. As for now, I'm kinda hungry." 

He pressed the call button for the elevator, and waited for it to come to him.


	15. Time Out

Ch 15 – Time Out

Zell was slightly disturbed that he felt so famished after watching Squall electrocute someone almost to death…but he realised that he hadn't eaten since that morning. And even then, he had only had a bowl of cereal, and Selphie's Curaga had only healed his body – it hadn't filled his stomach.

Moving to the leisure quarters, he walked in to see Squall sitting on the sofa, arms crossed, staring at nothing.

Zell paused, wondering whether or not to say something…but decided against it, moving past him into the tiny kitchen.

_I wonder whether Squall knows that that guy wont ever forget that time they had together?_ Zell mused to himself as he opened the fridge. _I mean, it seemed to go on forever…I'll never forget that look…_

Zell shook his head to shake away the memories and grabbed the butter and some jam from the fridge, shutting it behind him as he turned to the counter. Placing the items on the counter, he turned to the bread-box and pulled out four slices of bread. Buttering the bread from a knife in the kitchen sink, he dug the knife deep into the jam, the mound of jam quivering on the tip of the blade before being spread evenly across the buttered bread…

Zell dropped the knife, the utensil clattering to the kitchen floor. He clenched the edge of the counter so hard it crumbled under his grip. He drew in a shuddering breath, and looked up to see Squall staring at him.

"What?!" He muttered, letting go of the counter and bending over to pick up the knife. "You think you're the only one who has problems, Squall?!"

Squall continued to stare as Zell finished making the sandwiches and picked one up, taking a big bite out of it. He chewed the bread and jam viciously, before swallowing with a big gulp. "I mean, its not like I don't have my own issues…" Zell muttered, his mouth half full, before he threw the bread down in a fit of frustration. "Hyne, Squall! Do you know what we did to that guy?!"

Squall's answer was quiet. Controlled. Methodical. "We extracted information from an unwilling candidate. SeeD guide, chapter three, verse thirteen – 'never give the target a name'."

"How can you be so cold, Squall?!" Zell suddenly yelled. "We've just irreversibly changed that mans life! I don't think even Justice would be able to get anything from him now!!"

"I'm not being cold, Zell. I'm being logical." Squall said, standing up and walking over to the counter, placing his hands on it. "If we had simply let that man go unpunished, he would have most likely continued to kill people. He most likely would have continued killing SeeDs. Which would you rather? An active assassin? Or an _invalid_ assassin?"

Zell leaned close, getting right in Squalls face. "That wasn't for us to decide!"

Squall looked straight into Zell's eyes. "You're stressed. You need to relax."

Zell scoffed the comment. "Me?! Stressed!? Since when have I ever been stressed!?"

"There was that time in Timber…"

"Don't bring that up Squall." Squall blinked at the tone in Zell's voice, like a cornered animal growling at a predator. "Don't you _dare _bring that up."

Squall blinked once more, before leaning back. "You're relieved of all duties, Zell. I'll ask Selphie to drop you off at FH, and you can make you're way to Balamb from there. You need rest, and you need to forget about what's been happening."

Zell was taken aback by Squall's comment. "W-what?! You can't just tell me to go home!! What about the tournament?!"

"The Tournament can wait. It's already been postponed until the Galbadian government sort themselves out. It'll give you ample time to relax."

"Squall, what about the assassin?! He could strike at any time…"

"I get the feeling that he isn't going to do anything until we get to the finals." Squall said confidently. "From what I've heard, he's got too much class to strike whilst you're back is turned."

"But, Squall…"

"No buts! You're going home, and that's it!!"

*          *            *

Zell watched, duffel slung over his shoulder, as the Ragnarok lifted off from the makeshift landing pad next to Mayor Dobe's home, roaring into the air before shooting off into the blue horizon.

_Bastards._ He thought to himself, before shaking his head. _No, they're not bastards, Zell. They're concerned bastards. You have been acting rather strange lately…_

"Zell? Zell Dincht?"

Zell turned, half lost in thought, to see Flo, the Mayor's wife, walk down the steps of the house. "Zell! I thought it would be one of you. Who else gets around in a big red dragon?"

"Well, I hear the President of Esthar takes it out for joyrides every now and then…" Zell said with a smile, allowing himself to be hugged tightly by the old woman. After he had jump to Dobe's defence at the docks, she had always considered him like the son she had never had…even thought she still didn't like what he did for a living.

"Oh, Zell, you're too much…" she said with a laugh, before pulling herself away. "Now, lets look at you…" She looked deep into his light blue eyes, her eyes travelling over his widening grin, the fiery black tattoo. She straightened his spiked hair and smiled at him. "Well, you don't look too much different…only more…" she seemed to struggle with words.

Zell frowned. "Huh? C'mon, Flo, I'm the same as I always was."

"No, Zell dear…there's something different about you…you look more…serious."

"Flo, have you seen what I'm wearing? How can a guy who wears a shirt that says 'I'm going to kick your ass' ever be serious?"

She smiled at him. "Well…you have a point there…well, come on then. I'll make you a cup of tea."

Zell smiled, but declined the offer. "No thanks Flo. I'm under orders to get back home."

Flo's wrinkled face frowned. "Not anything violent, I hope?"

Zell laughed out loud. "No, I'm on leave. I just wanna go back and spend some time with Ma. You know how she worries about me."

"Almost as much as I worry about you, my dear…" The old woman said. "But ok. I'll tell Gerald you came around. He's at the Grease Monkey's, trying to get the TV fixed. Try to call in when you pass there."

Zell smiled at her. "I'll try. Bye Flo."

He hugged her once more, and began the long trek up the ramp, passing through the valley of solar panels that adorned the gigantic metallic crater that the FH people maintained. Not only did the FH citizens work to keep a running train and trade line to Esthar, they also powered all the train lines throughout the world through the massive solar power they are able to produce thanks to Gaia's huge burning orb and a lot of solar panels.

Not only that, but the FH people were world renowned for being able to fix and make things from scratch. Busted TV? Broken radio? Car wont run? It would take an FH _child_ less then five minutes to figure out what was wrong, and les then _ten_ minutes to either make it work, or improve it so it didn't need to use the broken part.

Some people think it's the fact that, because of all the solar panel, they are affected by latent radiation from Gaia's sun, magnified thousands of times over by the panels. But the FH people simply put it down to their neutral living, and all the fish they eat.

When Zell got to the top of the ramp, he stopped for a minute, thinking whether or not he should go and see the Grease Monkey. _It's close to the train station…I may as well. Though Dobe will be there…_ Mayor Dobe was _so_ neutral that he venomously hated anybody who took a side in _anything_, whether it was opposing armies or a friendly game of Triple Triads.

The good thing about this was that he never kicked anybody out for trying to believe whatever they wanted to believe…but if you didn't believe in his ways, be prepared for the biggest silent treatment since some pranksters poured Silence Powder into the Garden's air conditioning system while everybody was all asleep.

Shrugging, Zell decided to go in. Besides, he needed to talk to the Grease Monkey about something anyways.

Walking up and through the streets, he found many people patting him on the back, or simply saying hi. True to his upbringing, he politely replied, but wondered how everybody knew who he was.

It was only when he ran into Chloe, the girl who had the hots for Squall, that he found out, that he found out. She was sitting just outside the Grease Monkey's shop, and waved to Zell when she saw him walking up the road. "Hi, Zell!!"

"Hi Chloe." He replied evenly. Chloe was a nice girl, but was too out-putting. She wore really short skirts and dresses, usually see through ones, and if she ever thought you were trying to ogle, you'd get a right slapping. "Nice dress." He said, deciding to get it over and down with.

"Why, I never!!" she uttered, slapping him for all she was worth.

Zell shook his head, and blinked the tears away. "…Right. Now that's over, how are you?"

She shrugged. "Eh. Can't complain." She sat back down. "But what about you? You're a celebrity around here."

"Huh? Why?"

"Well…you are in that martial arts Tournament, right? People have been seeing it everywhere, and they're all rooting for you!"

Zell raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Wow. I never thought that I'd ever actually get fans. But what are you doing sitting out here?"

 "I'm waiting for the Grease Monkey to finish up so we can go and get something to eat. I'm starving, and Mayor Dobe is in there making a ruckus as usual."

"What for? Grease Monkey usually just deals in repaired good, right?"

"That's right. But he managed to fish out the machine that you guys destroyed a few years ago…it's got a really weird name, I cant pronounce it…"

"BGH251F2?"

"How do you do that?!…Anyways, he managed to fish it out and fix it up real good, as if it had never been broken or sitting on the bottom of the ocean for four years…then Mayor Dobe finds out, and begins to give him the full lecture about violence and how violence begets violence, and bla bla bla…" she sighed and adjusted her short skirt. "He's been in there for almost two hours now."

Zell frowned. "Hmpf. I've got my own business with the Grease Monkey, as if I don't get to speak to him, I'll never get it done. I suppose I'll juts have to bear the brunt of the storm." He stood and handed her his duffel bag. "hold this will you? And if I don't come back, avenge my death." That said, he set his jaw and pushed open the door to the Grease Monkey's pad…

To run straight into Mayor Dobe, finished yelling and wanting to get back home for some tea. The two of them collided; Zell's training helped him stay to his feet. Mayor Dobe, for that matter, fell like a sack of potatoes.

"Oh, Mayor Dobe, I didn't see you…" Zell said, concerned. He helped the old man up, before realising that he had just gotten in the old man's crosshairs.

"Zell Dincht!" The old man announced, like a teacher who had just picked out a child to do long division. "Why do you always have to go barging into places? Don't you ever knock?"

Zell frowned. "To tell the truth, people really don't seem to mind us going into their homes without knocking. It's actually quite strange."

"Well, to you it might be strange, but the truth is that they're scared of you're warmongering, and that you'll beat them up and steal their furniture! Well, let me tell you, you little punk, that you're kind isn't welcome at Fisherman's Horizon! If I see you gallivanting around here again with that little girl who should dress more proper, or that strange womaniser with the large gun, then you'll…"

Zell held up a hand "Mr. Mayor, please! I'm only here to tell you that Flo wants you home!!"

The Mayor instantly shut his trap and blinked. "Oh…" He pushed past Zell and walked out the door, almost bowling over Chloe in the process. She stepped in and handed Zell his duffel bag. He thanked her and moved further into the shop.

The Grease Monkey's home was a pack-rat's wet dream – piles and piles of useless stuff lined the walls, filled shelves and were cluttered on the floor in little stacks. Most of them had some use, forgotten long, long ago, and even less of them still worked.

One of the things that the Monkey still had, however, was the Moomba doll that the Shumi inventor had given him during his travels. Monkey had managed to get to the Shumi village, and get a copy made for him. Now it greeted customers as they entered Monkey's pad.

Zell watched as the little furry creature, barely four inches tall, bounded off the stool it sat on and 'meep'ed at him. It always brought a smile to his face.

"Hello? Yes?" the Grease Monkey called, coming in from out the back. True to his name, he was greasy and moved with the grace and stance of a gorilla. He smiled goofily when he saw who it was. "Zell!! Haven't seen you in a while!!"

"Yeah. Long time no see, huh Monkey?" Zell said with a grin, allowing his hand to be enveloped by a greasy grip.

"You've been knocking them dead in the Tournament, huh? Mayor Dobe tried to ban us from watching, but I managed to break his TV, so he doesn't know what's going on!"

Zell laughed. "Well, I'm glad you've been liking it. It's been postponed for a while, thought. Someone tried to assassinate the President."

The Grease Monkey's eyes went wide. "Really! Wow…"

Zell held up a hand. "Look, Monkey, it's nice to see you, but I have something to ask of you." He reached into his duffel and pulled out his Ehrgiez gloves, shaking them loose and holding them out for Monkey to see.

"Those…those are you're Ehrgiez gloves." Monkey stated, taking them from Zell gently. Chloe craned her head to see.

"Yep. I've had those babies for about…four years now, and they haven't failed me." He walked a little closer. "But I think, in the next few rounds, they'll need to be better."

Monkey looked up at Zell. "Zell…I can't work on these." He tried to hand them back to Zell. "Try the old man down at the docks. He's the weapon maker in the town…"

Zell grabbed Monkey's hand and pushed the gloves back at him. "Monkey, I need someone I _know_ will make them better. Greg? He'll just polish 'em up and charge me a thousand Gil for it. I need them _improved_."

Monkey looked down at the gloves. "Zell…I don't do this kind of thing…I just fix things…make them better…"

"You can make these better. I know it. You're the best fixer this side of Balamb. I'd go to the Shumi's, or even try Esthar, but I need this to be discreet too. I need someone I can trust. And I need it _soon_."

Monkey looked down at the gloves once more, before looking up at Zell. "Ok, Zell." He said with a nod. "I'll do it."

Zell grinned happily. "Great! When do you think they'll be finished?"

The Grease Monkey turned the gloves over, picking at the martial and scratching the adamantine covering with a greasy fingernail. "Give me…two days. Then you can come back for testing, and I ought to be able to put the finishing touches on them after that."

"Excellent!! Thanks a lot for this, man!"

"Yeah, yeah…you know I don't usually do special requests, so consider yourself lucky, SeeD."

"I know I am, Grease Monkey, I know I am. Well, I'll see you two later." He beamed at Chloe and the goofy mechanic, and made for the door.

*          *            *

As the train pulled into Balamb station, Zell looked out the window of the SeeD suite. "Hyne, it's gotten dark already…" He muttered, suddenly realising how much had happened to him during the day. _Hyne. I've killed off an opponent, shot, lost a friend, and left one man drooling for at least a few days. He shook his head. __I've been busy._

He wondered what his Ma would think as he stepped off the trains platform, walking down the steps of the station, passing the item store. _She'll probably freak. We haven't seen each other in…how long? A year? That damned embargo…_

Ever since the Training Centre incident, Zell hadn't been allowed to leave the Garden unless on a mission, or unless he was accompanied by a Security official, usually Seifer.

And he didn't want Seifer poking around his home.

Walking down the pathway, he passed the weapon store and moved up the street. Coming to his home, a little blue dome dug into the ground, he looked down at the steps. _Would she have been watching the tournament? Probably not…she wouldn't have wanted to watch me kill innocent people, just for money. He frowned. __But, isn't that what I do for a living? Kill for money?_

He shook his head and grimaced. "Hyne, Zell, you're thinking too much again." He muttered to himself, walking forward and pushing the door open. The Dincht's never locked their door.

"Ma, I'm home!" He yelled, dumping his duffel beside the door and hanging up his coat on the coat hooks.

"Zell?!"

His Ma came tearing down the steps, pausing at the landing as she saw who stood in the middle of the room. Known around Balamb and in the Garden as 'Big Ma', Zells Ma wasn't the supplest of women – but her heart of gold outshone anything else.

Tears formed in her eyes as she stepped off the stairs and ran to him, grabbing him and squeezing him to her for all he was worth. "My Hyne, I thought you were dead!" she sobbed, clutching him closer.

Zell tapped her on the back. "Ma? Ma?" He said urgently.

She looked at him, not releasing him from her grip. "What is it, dear?"

His face was red, and he pointed at his throat. "Air." He gasped.

She let go of him and he felt oxygen flow back into his lungs as she rubbed his back, laughing heartily. "Why is it that you can take on all these martial artists but you can't survive one decent hug from you're Ma?"

"I…dunno…Ma…why...is it?" Zell said with a grin, his breath returning to him.

Ma Dincht craned her head to the side frowning as she looked at him. "Are you alright, Zell?"

He stood straight, testing his lungs. "What? What do you mean?"

Ma Dincht took a step back and placed a finger on her chin, as if to assess the boy before her. "You look…different from the last time I saw you…"

Zell rolled his eyes in frustration. "What is it with people thinking I'm different, all of a sudden?! First it's Squall, then Flo, now it's you…"

Ma Dincht frowned. "Zell Dincht! Don't take that tone in this house!"

Zell sighed and let his topper half of his body to fall limp in frustration and sadness. "I'm sorry, Ma. I've just been under a lot of stress lately."

Ma smiled and rubbed Zell's back sympathetically. "I can see that, dear. Maybe you just ought to go and have a sleep, huh?"

Zell nodded, suddenly conscious of how weary he felt. "Yeah…I guess you're right, Ma…" he said, suddenly yawning. "I do feel a bit tired."

"Come on then." She said, placing a hand over his shoulder and helping him up the stairs.

They got to his room, and Zell saw that it was exactly as he had left it. T-Board leant against the wall next to the door. Punching bag with numerous round stiches in it, after putting his fist through it numerous times. His own comfortable bed, not the cots on the Ragnarok or the hard beds in Garden.

Ma Dincht sat him down on the bed and began to unlace his sneakers, like she had done all those years ago when he had come in from playing all those years ago, dead tired from running around.

She pulled his sneakers and socks off him and placed them on the floor beside the bed, and instructed him to take off his shirt. He did so, tiredly pulling the shirt off his body, before allowing his Ma to push him down onto the bed.

"Gosh, Zell…" she gasped quietly, running a hand down the long, jagged gash on his belly. "You've been busy, haven't you…" She saw the round scars just above his belly button, and the numerous other small scars added to the collection.

"I can heal the wounds, Ma…" Zell said groggily, allowing his eyes to close wearily. "But the scars remain." He frowned with his eyes closed. "I wish it was only the scars that remained…"

"So do I, honey. So do I."  She ran a hand over his face with a small smile, before covering him with the sheets.

He was asleep before she left the room.

*          *            *

When he woke up, light pealed into the room through the Venetian blinds over his window. Obviously, they were strategically positioned so that, even if he moved the bed, the slits of light would always drop onto his face, waking him and blinding him simultaneously.

He felt well rested, if not a little stiff. He stretched his arm out to get some blood flow going – and hit something soft.

Frowning, he felt the thing with his hand. Smooth, supple texture. Warm to the touch. Yelped when pinched.

_Yelped when pinched?_

He swivelled his head around to see Angel, snuggled close to him under the sheets, fast asleep.

After the initial shock wore down – _where the hell did SHE come from?!_ – He calmed down and tried to move without waking her.

Removing the sheets off his body, he saw that she was only wearing a bra and panties. _Right…two avenues of procedure here. Either wake her up and do it, or retain dignity and try to move around her without poking her eye out._

Although his body _screamed for the first option, his love for her battered it down and he managed to crawl around her without waking her._

Staggering down the stairs, he saw his mother making breakfast, sizzling bacon and scrambled eggs. She was humming a tune happily when he moved into the kitchen, but she stopped as she saw him walk in. "Oh, hello Zell!" she greeted him happily. "How do you feel this morning?"

"I slept like a log Ma…thanks for asking." The way she was avoiding his gaze made him suspicious. "Ma…?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you know that Angel is up in my room?"

His mother stopped flipping the bacon and turned to face him, the hand with the spatula going to her hip, a fake look of shock and surprise on her face. "Really?! Well, I never!" she said indignantly, before snorting a laugh and turning back to the breakfast.

"Ma! That's not funny!!" Zell whined.

"Well, why not? After all, she is you're girlfriend! And she's been dying from grief from all the shenanigans you've been getting yourself into. Do you know that as soon as the transmission cut on the Tournament after you got shot, she ran straight here, crying her eyes out! Poor dear was in bits…"

Zell plonked himself into a chair. "You know I had it covered."

"That's right dear. You've always got it covered." Ma agreed, before putting the spatula down and turning to him, wiping her hands on her apron. "But there'll come a time when you'll have no-one left to cover it for you. And when that time comes, it'll be you, and whoever is coming after you."

Zell nodded. "I know, Ma…and I don't want that aspect of my life to intrude on you and Angel…I wanna keep that bit of my life nicely covered up, so it can be a surprise when it turns up."

Ma Dincht frowned. "Well, I'm not so sure about you, but I don't intend to be sitting here, waiting to receive you're death papers. I want you to bury me, understand?" Her voice cracked at the last word, and a single tear trailed down her face.

Zell got up and moved to his mother, gathering her in a hug. "Ma…don't talk like that…please?"

She sobbed into his shoulder and nodded, before looking up at him. "You've grown up so much…I still remember when Pa and I got you from the orphanage…you were so full of life, so joyful, laughing at everything…"

"I'm still like that Ma. I've just got some things to think through right now. That's all."

Ma Dincht chuckled and chuffed him under the chin. "Well, don't think too much. That's what give you wrinkles."

Zell smiled. "Yeah. I suppose Squall will look like a prune before he turns thirty."

Ma Dincht threw her tea-towel at him and passed a plate to him. "Now, be a good boyfriend and go give Angel here breakfast."

Zell looked down at the plate in front of him, mounds of glistening bacon and a wobbling heap of scrambled eggs beside it. "Ma! Angel won't touch one-third of this!"

"Exactly! Which is why I've given it to you! This way, you can both eat off the same plate, and have a fulfilling meal. At least this way she wont have to wait for you to finish all the stuff you eat!!"

Zell grinned and pecked her on the cheek. "Thanks Ma." He said, before bounding up the stairs, taking them in twos.

*          *            *

When he got to his room he nudged the door open with a foot and moved in, nudging it closed silently with his butt.

He walked up to the bed and placed the tray of food on the bedside table, before sitting on the edge.

He looked down on Angel, her brown hair untied and flowing around her like she was lying in a puddle of chocolate. He eyes were closed, and she snored ever so silently.

He paused for a second, before leaning forward and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

She mumbled something and opened her eyes slowly, the morning light hitting them as severely as it had hit his. She looked up at him sleepily. "Good morning." She mumbled.

"Hey there." He replied with a smile. "How you feeling?"

She stretched her arms out from under the sheets and smiled fantastically. "Mmmm…good."

"Great. You feel up to bacon and eggs?"

"Do I."

"Excellent." Zell turned to the tray, picking it up and grabbing a spoonful of scrambled eggs. "Open wide."

She opened her mouth, and he shovelled the food in with a big grin. She giggled and chomped down on the food greedily, before swallowing and smiling up at him. "More, please?"

"This first." He whispered, placing the spoon down and kissing her like he never kissed her before, kissing her like he had wanted to kiss her as soon as he had accepted this awful mission, kissing her like he had no tomorrow.


	16. A New Limit!

Ch 16 – Limit Break Acquired

The next two days were pure bliss for Zell.

After an excellent breakfast, Angel and him didn't do _anything_ – they stayed in his room all day, simply talking about meaningless stuff – nothing about Garden, and nothing about the Tournament. They talked about weather, fashion, chocobos, a few new techniques that they had been working on…meaningless stuff. Somehow, it made them forget the more important things in life – it gave then something to think of except death.

The day after Zell had wanted to go out to lunch. Angel was against the idea, wanting to stay at home – but Zell insisted.

"We can't have Ma bringing us food everyday! It's just plain rude. So we'll go out, have lunch, and bring back dinner for the three of us."

"…Ok." Angel had said.

So they went walking, going through Balamb slowly, carefully picking their way through the small streets, pausing at the wharf to look out into the ocean, and stopping into houses of friends to catch up on old times.

They had just sat down in the restaurant outside the Balamb Hotel overlooking the sea, had ordered and were waiting for their food when Angel placed down her glass of water and looked at Zell straight in the eye. "Zell…can I ask you a question?"

Zell smiled, tossing us one of the chocolate covered peanuts that they had bought from the item store beside the train station and catching it in his mouth. "Ya didn't give me much choice there, Angel. But shoot."

Angel smiled at the joke, before looking down at her hands, which were playing with a napkin. "I…I've been meaning to ask you...about the Tournament…"

Zell tossed another chocolate up in the air and catched it in his mouth. "What about it, hon?"

"What…what do you feel when you fight those guys?"

Zell paused in his chocolate tossing, looking at Angel as she blushed, the old Librarian resurfacing, shy and withholding. "I…I don't understand, Angel. What do you mean?"

Angel released the napkin and began to run her finger around the rim of her glass equally nervously. "I mean…I see you on the TV…and you seem to…enjoy it? No, that's not right…you seem to…" She frowned, frustrated. "Hyne…" She muttered.

Zell looked at her, before leaning back in his chair, and placing his hands behind his head. "I…I don't know how I feel, Angel. I mean, there's a rush…a rush you'll never experience in everyday life…" He frowned. "And then it's over. I try not to feel anything. I _try_ – sometimes you have no choice but to get involved – but sometimes it's…its like you're on a mission. You…you don't have any choice but to fight, and whether you like it or not, you have to get the job done."

"So…you jut try to…dehumanise them? Make them…not people?" Her tone wasn't patronising – simply trying to decipher his own stumbled words.

"Of course not – they all have names, they all have a life, and they all have a reason to do battle with me. Just because we're competing for money doesn't mean we don't have to know each other."

"Did…did you know the name of the guy you…you know…killed?"

Zell nodded. "Of course. His name was Sheran Timlett."

"But…doesn't it bother you that he's dead?"

"Of course it bothered me…it bothered me a lot more then you could think…but that's the point when you have to stand up and say 'enough sulking, time to get back to work'."

Angel sighed. "I…I just don't understand why you have to risk you're life with these people…"

Zell placed the bag of chocolates down, got up and moved around the table, sitting in the chair next to her. He placed an arm around her shoulder, and she rested her head against his. "I…did have a choice in the matter, Angel…and my choice was to fight. The fact that I'm fighting for money isn't really important…there's a mutual understanding with all the fighters, an honour to uphold…and I have to uphold that honour too…even if I have to do things that would seem a little…over the top."

She snuggled a little closer to him with a sigh. "I…I think I understand now. It's all about honour."

Zell nodded, looking out to the sea. _Yeah…honour…but that's not the only reason why I fight…but you'll understand soon, Angel…when all this is over, I'll tell you everything._

*          *            *

After lunch they walked back to Zell's home, Zell laden down with bags of food for the feast they were going to have tonight.

He kicked open the door with a foot, and barged in. "Ma, we're home!"

No answer. He shot a look at Angel and shrugged as best he could with his arms full. "She must have gone out. We'll just dump this stuff in the kitchen and we'll brainstorm out to set it up when Ma gets back."

Angel nodded, and helped him spread everything out o the kitchen counter, before standing back with her hands on her hips. "Well, what now, tough guy? The rest of the day hinged on Ma being here."

Zell smiled, scratching the back of his neck. "Well…we could go and do some exercises…or we could go other some of those new moves we've been developing?"

"Ok. I have to get changed first." Angel said, before winking at him and going up the steps to his bedroom.

Zell smiled and walked around in the bottom, looking through all the things he had missed whilst at the Tournament. For some reason unfathomable by him, he had felt amazingly homesick whilst at the tournament. Maybe it had been the alien environment in the Ragnarok? Or maybe it had been the fact that he had just gotten used to living in home after being under embargo all that time?

He moved through the living room, running a hand over some of the stuff that adorned the shelves and walls. 

His SeeD diploma, framed and hung in the direct centre of the room, all spirally writing, with the Headmaster's signature at the bottom.

A picture of Squall and Zell, just back from their final exam, walking off the ship, looking decidedly tired. Zell had seen the camera and had flashed a smile and a peace sign, but Squall's eye simply bore into the camera, the dead look uncommon today, but still hiding behind something in his mind.

A picture of them at the 'saving the world' party. All of them – Rinoa, Squall, Selphie, Irvine, Quistis, and Zell, all lined up and grinning like little children, Angelo sitting between Rinoa's legs.. Selphie was wearing Irvine's hat, and Zell still held onto one of the hotdogs he had been chomping on when Selphie had dragged him away from the table to take the photo.

He still had the videotape of that night – someone, he guessed Selphie, had brought it and had recorded most of their antics that night. Unfortunately, the batteries had given out halfway through – but there were some good memories left on there.

A Moomba doll, bought back from Shumi village.

A photo of Headmaster Cid and Matron at the party, standing beside Squall, Cid shaking his hand, whilst Edea pointed at the necklace that Squall wore.

A photo of Zell, aged ten, doing handstand pushups.

A piece of Lunatic Pandora, the shining blue crystal winking at him in the light.

Another picture of Zell, aged fifteen, punching a car in the car-shop down the road, his fist just connecting with the engine as the camera had gone off. It had started shortly after.

His first pair of fighting gauntlets, given to him by his first master, Baku, when he was aged twelve. Baku had always referred to their training as 'playing', which was the only way to get the hyperactive Zell to go with him.

Another picture, this one more recent, of Zell and Angel training on the beach, Angel throwing a punch with Zell dodging, both of them smiling.

His acoustic guitar, used in the Garden Festival all those years ago. He still played, but only with friends.

Another of Angel and him, passed out after a long day playing, falling asleep in each other's arms in front of the TV in the living room.

He smiled, picking up the photo, and looking at it more closely. He remembered the exact course of action they had done that day – swimming in the beach with Irvine and Selphie, followed by lunch at the Balamb restaurant, followed by a trip to Deling to go window shopping, before coming back and doing some training for a few hours.

He placed the picture down where he picked it up, and turned to look up at the stairs. "Angel?!" He yelled. "Come on! We only have about two more hours of sunlight left to play with!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Was the giggled reply as she skipped down the stair, now dressed in figure-hugging blue track pants and a black sweat-top. She reached the bottom of the stairs and sat on the bottom step to do up the laces on her sneakers.

Zell watched her with a small smile on his face, leaning on the wall next to the stairs. She looked up at him with her own smile, finalising the knot with a confident jerk, before standing with a small jump and kissing him lightly on the lips. "You're turn, tough guy." She said, gesturing up the stairs with a thumb.

"Ok, ok…" he muttered with a grin, pushing past her and up the stairs. "Just make sure you're nice and stretched before I come down, ok?"

"Yes, Master Dincht." She said sarcastically.

He jumped up the steps two at a time, opening the door and closing it with a foot. He ripped his shirt off and threw it into a corner, before sitting on the corner of his bed to untie the laces on his shoes. Pulling those off, he threw those in the same direction as the shirt, as well as his socks.

Finally removing his shorts, he opened his closet and grabbed a pair of tracksuit pants, as well as a white singlet.

Putting them on, he grabbed a second pair of sneakers – blue ones – and put them on, not bothering with socks.

Finally dressed, he opened the door – to find Angel with her head to the door. He grinned, caught by surprise. He had almost bowled her over coming out. "What are you doing?"

She blushed crimson, shyly looking down. "Just waiting for you."

He smiled at the remark, before placing an arm over her shoulder. "Come on. We've only got…" He checked the clock on the wall. "…An hour and forty-five minutes before the sun starts to set. I wanna try out that new technique one last time."

*          *            *

They trained on the beach at first, allowing the sea to clear their minds and allow their legs to strengthen by trudging through the sand. They went through punches, chops and upper strength movements, before moving on to kicks and short sprints. Then they moved up to the Alcauld Plains, working out only a few kilometres from the Balamb Garden.

They finally paused for a break as the sun began to set, casting an orange glare over the plains. Between fending off Bite Bugs and their training, they felt exhausted.

Falling to the soft grass below, not a monster in sight, they managed to crawl over to each other and hold onto one another. They were sweaty and tired, but felt slightly content.

Zell lay on his back, one hand behind his head, the other lazily toying with Angel's hair, Angel lying at right angles to him with her head on his stomach.

They lay like that for a few seconds, regaining their strength, before Angel looked up at Zell. "So…you wanna test out that move yet?"

Zell looked down at her with a grin. "Not on you, that's for sure."

Angel rolled over onto her belly and frowned at him. "Oh, come on! You cant be serious!!"

"I am serious, Angel! If I can my predictions are correct, this technique could be more powerful then My Final Heaven, so no, I'm not going to use it on you!"

Angel pouted. "Come on…there's nothing more powerful then My Final Heaven…"

"This might be…"

Angel pushed herself up to a sitting position. "Well, then lets see it!" She gestured to the forest just to the east of Garden. "I hear there are some wild T-Rexaurs in that forest. Why don't you try it out on them?"

Zell looked at the forest, before looking at the setting sun. "By the time we've walked over there, found a T-Rexaur and kicked the crap out of it, it'll be night-time. And we have to be back home by dinner time."

Angel stood, grabbing him by the hand and dragging him to his feet. "Come on! where's you're spirit for adventure?!"

"Where'd you get yours?" Zell asked in surprise. "A year ago you would have been beggin' me to take you home by now!"

"Well…I must have borrowed some of yours." She said, poking him in the ribs. "Come on! We'll be back for dinner in no time."

Zell rolled his eyes, before grinning. "Sure. Why not?"

*          *            *

The sun had sunk well below the horizon by the time they had reached the forest, changing the orange glare into a blood red sky. Long, spindly shadows filled the trees, and there were a few…noises usual to the forest. Leaves brushing together from a breeze. The occasional owl hoot. The roar of a T-Rexaur, looking for it's dinner.

Unfortunately for the one that just entered a small clearing, it had found it's prey.

Zell looked up at the giant dinosaur, and sneezed. "He's pretty big…bigger then the ones in the Garden…"

Angel stood beside him, pulling a hanky from her pocket and wiping Zell's nose for him. He tried to bat her hand away but failed, deciding to endure a little humiliation instead. "He's probably older then the ones from Garden…I heard they genetically modify them so they grow older quicker."

"You heard? I _know_ they do. They've had their hands full growing more and more T-Rexaurs ever since my embargo was begun. I just kept wiping them out…they actually complained to Cid that I was getting too good, but he said…"

"Zell!!" Angel screamed, jumping out of the way as the T-Rexaur's big tail came smashing down – _to be caught in Zell's hands_.

Zell looked up at the bewildered dinosaur with annoyance – he was talking to Angel. Gripping the tail tighter, he swung the dinosaur around his head, smashing him into the nearest tree. The tree fell, as did the dinosaur.

Zell let go of the tail and patted his hands down, before turning to Angel. "As I was saying, Cid said that it was their job to breed the monsters, and that if they weren't up to the demand, then maybe he should…"

Angel walked over to him and placed her hand over his mouth. "Zell? Will you please shut up and finish the poor thing off?"

She didn't remove her hand until he nodded. He turned and walked over to the T-Rex, guided by a pat on the ass by Angel.

He grinned at her before turning back to the dinosaur, who had managed to groggily get to it's clawed feet. It shook it's head and groaned, before turning to Zell and roaring it's fury.

He smirked at it and took his stance.

The dinosaur still seemed groggy, but snapped at him all the same. It was what he was waiting for, and he seemed to simply step aside as the dinosaur's massive head slashed past him to snap at thin air.

He didn't need to build any power – that was the beauty of the technique. He could do it sitting down, or standing on his head. All he needed to do was apply a certain amount of pressure and…

Zell whipped around and smashed his fist into the monster's head. The blow didn't seem to do anything – just create a small indent in the dinosaurs face. The dinosaur, however, didn't move.

It simply twitched – before it's head blew to smithereens, large chucky bits of bone and brain splattering around the clearing.

Angel ducked most of the blast, but Zell got a face full of it. He stood his ground, however, the explosion of blood and bone flying all over him and around him.

He turned to Angel grinning, his teeth white through all the red. "I don't really have a name for it yet. I was thinking of an Old World name, but…" He frowned. "Angel? Are you alright?"

Angel was looking at him, through the dusk light. Her look was one of shock and horror. All she could do was gasp a "…Whoa."

Zell pointed at her. "That's right."

"I've…I've never seen something so…bloody."

"You should see what happens when I use My Final Heaven. Just like before, only more…backward to where I punch em…ya' know…"

Angel moved over to where he stood, walking around him and looking him up and down. "But…but I thought…that when you used My Final Heaven…you like, hurt yourself…"

"That's because when I build up the power to move at those speeds, there's repercussions to my body. I think the last time I used My Final Heaven I went somewhere around…Mach 6? I'm not sure." They began to walk back towards the beach, moving through the trees and bushes of the forest.

"You went at Mach six? How did you survive?!" Angel asked, her voice incredulous.

"It's all about vibrations and energy, hon. You see, when I use My Final Heaven, its not about using all that built up energy in a short amount of time." He realised that he had her attention, and grinned as he got more into the description. "When you use a Limit Break, you build up and store massive quantities of paramagical energy. For some reason, it isn't considered magic – it's simply called the Limit Break."

Angel nodded, trying to follow, and Zell continued. "When I use my Limit Break, I have the choice of several methods properly suited to that kind of energy level. The most powerful, obviously, My Final Heaven, which I learned from an old man, who had learned it from an old magazine…an early issue of Combat King"

"Combat King published a move that powerful?!" Angel exclaimed.

"Back then, it wasn't much of a big thing. There weren't many martial artists in the world, and even then only a very small fraction of them were able to master the severe energy levels needed to perform the technique."

"Wow…"

"Yeah. Anyways, My Final Heaven is performed by harnessing that massive energy, and borrowing a little from the attack power to shield you're body as you run. To be truthful, there's not much to the technique – anybody with really good reflexes can dodge it, and if you think you're good enough, you are able to block it."

"So, if it's so easily beaten, why use it at all? If you miss with the attack, you'll be wide open for a counter!"

"But that's where you're wrong, you see. I haven't come across an opponent who has dodged My Final Heaven, or ever heard of a person who was good enough to beat it."

"Why not?" Angel asked, before she realised the meaning of the look that Zell gave her. "Oh…I understand…"

"Yep. The reason it works so well is because everybody _thinks_ it works."

"So, how come you're new technique is so much better then My Final Heaven?"

Zell smiled. "That's when brains come into it. I've figured out a way to get the power of My Final Heaven, without all the running around the world bit."

"How?"

"It's all vibrations." They reached the beach, and sat for a second to take off their shoes and socks. "What happens when you lean your head against a car window when it moves?"

"It gives me a bit of a headache, and makes my teeth rattle." Angel said with a smile.

"That's right. Now imagine that kind of vibration, magnified a hundred times, delivered in one blow."

Angel's eyes went wide. "So that's what happened to the T-Rexuar's head!"

They got up and began to walk to the beach, shoes and socks in hand. "Yep. The vibrations were so intense; it took a few seconds for it to move straight through the body. All I need to do is apply enough force, and the right kind of vibration, and I can punch through just about anyone or anything." He shrugged. "It a little messy…but who said it had to be graceful?"

"Maybe you can tone down the vibrations enough to make it less messy?" Angel asked thoughtfully.

Zell smiled. "You think I tried that? No…for total incapacitation, I need to use just a right amount. Unfortunately, the appropriate amount is lethal." He smirked. "That what I get for training without GFs or magic for a year…I work my way around…"

They finally reached the shore. Angel looked up to the night sky, at the giant moon beaming down at them, before looking down at the Balamb waters, glassy and clear, small waves lapping along the shore. "Warm tonight…"

Zell smiled, taking off his singlet. "It certainly is…"

She looked at him with wide eyes as he began to untie his shoelaces. "What are you doing?!" She shrieked as he removed his tracksuit pants.

He rolled his eyes at her as he bundled the clothing into a ball. "You think I'm going to walk home looking like this?" he asked sarcastically, gesturing to the blood all over him. "She'd freak, then kick my ass for getting my clothes dirty!"

Angel was giggling as she turned away to shield her eyes as he ripped off his boxers. She heard him laughing as he ran into the surf, splashing and diving underwater, and peeked out to see him bob to the surface, a few meters from the shore. "Come on! The water's really good!!" He yelled to her with a laugh.

"I'm not going in there with _you_ like _that_!" she said with a laugh.

"Come oooon…you know you want to… and besides, there's no one around…" He gestured her in with a wave of the hand and a wink.

She bit her bottom lip, thinking it through…before shrugging. She quickly looked left and right, and put her hands on her hips. "Turn around."

Zell's grin was huge. "Yesssss…" he hissed happily, turning around slowly and allowing his body to sink under the water, until only his head bobbed above the still seawater.

He tried desperately not to turn around as he heard her remove her shirt, but gave into the temptation and peeked, turning his head slightly to look with the corner of his eye.

"Don't look, or I'm not coming in!!"

Adequately chaste, he turned around and stayed that way until he heard her sloshing through the water to him. She came up behind him and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her body to his back.

"It's cold…" She mumbled, holding close to him, pressing her cheek to his tattoo.

"You'll warm up if you move around a little…" Zell said quietly.

He turned his head and kissed her lightly on the lip. She closed her eyes, seeming to savour his taste, his smell. He turned and embraced her, kissing her with all his might and soul.

They sank beneath the water in each other's arms.

*          *            *

_Hey there readers! I hope you liked this insight into Zells mind. I also hope I hit the Limit Break description on the button. I thought long and hard about how to word and describe it right._

_Not only that, but I know, for sure, that the thing that releases stress the best is sex. And lots of it._

_Unfortunately, for some of the more… younger readers, I can't go into depths with the descriptions. So…you'll just have to use you're imaginations._

_I have a quiz for you readers, however. A homework assignment, if you will. (Fight Club, anybody?)_

_If anyone can e-mail me full descriptions of Zell's major Limit Break manoeuvres, that would be excellent. I'm not talking about a brief description, however. I need full body movements, the colours of the energy projected, the works. They need to be thorough too, as he will use every last one in next few upcoming fights…and my sister wiped my memory card. Stepping on it will do that._

_The major Limit Break Manoeuvres are the following:_

_Burning Rave – used in Chapter6 – Selection Began_ _Meteor Barret – used in Chapter7 – Round 1: Zell vs Chan_ _Different Beat – Unused so far. This one completely eludes me. I don't think I've even used it before._ _My Final Heaven – Used in my other FF8 Fic, FF8 Chronicles, against two T-Rexaurs. Zell was weaker back then, and had no choice. Suffice to say, the results were…messy._

_Thank you, and remember, keep reading and reviewing!!!_

_Michael Kenny_


	17. Bliss

Ch 17 – Bliss

The next morning Zell awoke slowly, with no worries on his mind.

The night before had been excellent. They had arrived home soaking wet and giggling, their clothes having been hastily thrown on after the boat patrol had passed by.

Ma had been waiting for them. "Where have you two been?!" she said, before seeing how wet they were, and what condition their clothes had been. Then her tone changed from 'nagging' mother to 'concerned' mother. "What happened to you two?!"

"Nothing, Ma." Zell said, his arm draped over the grinning Angel. "We've just been training a little, that's all. Got carried away, then had a swim."

"Hyne…all you do for a whole year is train, and you can't find time to have dinner with your mother?"

"Ma!"

"Ok, ok…you two go upstairs and freshen up, then come down and we'll cook up a feast, ok?"

"Thanks, Ma!" Angel said happily, with a big grin on her face, before pulling herself out from under Zell's arm and running for the stairs. "Race 'ya!!" she yelled.

"Oh no you wont!!" Zell yelled back, chasing after her with a laugh.

Ma had simply shook her head and grinned. "Kids…"

Now, he simply yawned and looked down at Angel, her brown hair undone and flowing all around her like a cloud of chocolate. She was snuggled close to him, her head to his chest. She was snoring every so quietly, her mouth slightly open. He could see her little pink tongue between her white teeth, like a little piece of gum between white mints.

He smiled, and kissed her ever so lightly on the lips.

She still tasted like strawberries.

He had pushed his bed just a few feet away from the wall so he didn't need to crawl over her to get to the floor. He took the covers off himself slowly, to not wake Angel, and lowered his feet to the floor. He looked over his shoulder to see if he awoken her, and when he saw that he hadn't, he stood and walked across the bedroom to grab some pants.

*          *            *

He moved down to the lower floor of the house with a spring in his step, as if someone had cast Float on him and he was walking on water.

He jumped the last five steps to the floor and air-walked into the kitchen, where his Ma was cooking breakfast. "Morning Ma." He said pleasantly, giving her a kiss before grabbing an apple and an orange from the fruit bowl.

Ma turned to him with a hand on her hip. "My, my, Zell Dincht. What are you in such a happy mood for?"

"Do I need to be have a reason?" He asked, his voice as light as the morning breeze. "I have a…wonderful life! I have a beautiful girlfriend, an excellent mother to look after me, and I live in paradise!! What more could a mercenary for hire ask for?!"

Ma Dincht shook her head with a laugh and turned back to the pancakes she was flipping.

Zell plonked himself into a chair and bit into the apple. It was crisp, juicy and sweet. _Bliss…pure friggin bliss._ He munched on the apple for a minute, before a revelation hit him like a gun-shot to the head. "Ma…I think I've died and gone to heaven."

Ma Dincht tried not to laugh and talked, not bothering to turn around. "And why do you say that, dear?"

"Because I see an Angel entering the room."

Angel walked down the steps, grinning, her hair let down, her face lit up like a Christmas tree. She wore a long, draping white shirt, his SeeD one…and not much else, by the looks of it.

"Well…she certainly doesn't look saintly." Ma said with a frown. "If she doesn't get some pants on soon, I'm pretty sure she'll have to go hungry for the day, hmmm?"

Angel tried not to grin and skedaddled up the stairs again.

Ma looked at Zell and turned back to the pancakes.

Zell munched the apple with a big goofy grin.

"I hope you treat her good, Mr. Dincht."

Zell choked on his apple. "Ma!? That's just gross!!"

"Make sure you do, Zell." She turned and gave him a look with daggers in her eyes. "Otherwise you'll have to answer to me. Understand?"

"Yes ma'am…"

She smiled and turned back to the pancakes for the final time. "But you've got a good thing going…I'm glad for you."

"Thanks Ma…that really great, coming from you."

Suddenly the phone rang. "I'll get it…" Zell shouted, chewing the rest of his apple and swallowing in one bite. Grabbing the back of the chair, he flipped up and over it, landing on the balls of his feet right behind the phone.

"Zell, I told you no acrobatics in the house…" Ma muttered, knowing that he had flipped up and over the kitchen counter and landed only centimetres behind her.

Zell slapped his hand on the edge of the receiver, making the phone jump into his hand. "I know, Ma, I know…" He said with a giggle, before placing the receiver to his ear. "Joes Taxidermy, you snuff 'em, we stuff 'em!"

The voice on the end of the receiver immediately killed his good mood with a point blank baseball bat whack to the face. It smashed into his brain like a semi-truck and made his spine feel like a sliver of ice. _"Hello, Zell."_

The Assassin had the same voice as before, warbled and disfigured by the voice scrambler. Zells voice sounded like rusty iron grating through chicken wire. "What do you want?"  
_"Oh, Zell. You unhappy to hear from me?"_ The Assassin taunted. _"I just wanted to know where you've been for the past few days."_

"How'd you get this number?"

"Oh, it's easier to do then you think. The question you should really be asking is; how'd you get this address?"

Zell's blood ran colder then Shiva's. He turned to Ma. "Get upstairs, get some clothes together, _now_!"

"Why? Zell…"

"_Just do as I say!_"

Ma blinked and dropped her spatula before running for the stairs.

Zell turned back to the front of the house. Apart from the window up in his bedroom, there weren't any other entrances to the house. Just the front door, and the windows in the bottom of the house. As long as the women were upstairs, they would be safe for the time being.

The Assassin read Zell's mind. _"Good idea sending Ma away. It's best to keep the ones you hold dear…out of the life we lead. By the way, you're house is easily accessible…it's as easy as one, two…"_

The door opened, the latch clicking up with the door swinging open under it's own accord.

Zell lowered his hand, the Fire spell licking around his fingers as he pointed his hand at the door. He didn't even realise that his hand had moved of his own accord, he simply aimed.

There was dead silence at the end of the phone, before distorted laughter came out from the phone. _"Ha ha ha!! That's a little thing I picked up from Esthar…it's amazing what you can find if you look hard enough. I'd be careful, though! It's prone to go off if tampered."_

"You bastard…"

"Oh, come on, Zell. No need to be harsh."

"You bastard…you come into my home…"

"And I a lovely home, at that. Lots of pictures…" 

"…You threaten my family…"

_"…And a loved one, don't forget…"_

"…And you have the _nerve_ to call me and threaten me!?"

There was a slight pause at the other end of the phone. _"Yes. Yes I do."_ The Assassin snorted. _"What are you gonna do about it?"_

Zell's voice seemed to crack like glass, the shards dropped into the receiver and send to the other end. "I'm going to track you down…and I'm going to kill you…in the most painful way I can think of."

There was another snort. _"What are you going to do? Slap me to death? Give me a 'Booya'?!"_ The Assassins voice changed, suddenly changing from taunting to aggravated. _"You're nothing compared to me. You understand. You're NOTHING!!"_

Zell smiled. "I don't think so. I think I've got you scared. I think I've got you on the run, little man."

"You have no idea what you're thinking, you sack of crap."

"Oh, yes I do. You're afraid of me…and you know it."

_"I'M NOT AFRAID OF YOU!!" _was the screamed reply, the killer's voice hurting Zell's ear. _"You're a PEON compared to me!! A worthless, talentless sack of Bite Bug droppings!!"_

"Oh yeah? Then why don't you have the guts to face me, huh? Why don't you have the _balls_ to tell this to my face, huh? You're the one who's nothing! In our game, the brave survive and the cowardly get their comeuppance! And I've seen nothing but cowardice from you, my friend."

_"Bad move, Zell…"_ The Assassin suddenly said, his warbled voice suddenly cold and calculated. _"Now you're pissed me off."_ There was the sound of something being pressed in the background, and suddenly a small area, in the corner of the front doorframe, began to flash. _"You're family has five minutes. Have a good day."_

The line suddenly died, and Zell dropped it to the floor.

He took the stairs in twos, smashing down his door with little effort. Angel stood, trembling, throwing clothes into a travel bag. She jumped as he burst into the room violently, gripping a shirt in both hands, shrieking with fear as he ran in.

As soon as she recognised him, however, she ran to him with terror in her eyes. "Zell! What's going on?! Who was the person on the phone?!"

"No time for explanations, just keep packing the clothes and move!!"

She turned back to the bag, hurriedly stuffing more clothes in as he quickly pulled on a shirt.

He grabbed her and gave her a brief, passionate kiss. "You look great." He muttered, before running from the room to his Ma's.

She was finishing packing the rest of her things, and turned to Zell wither hands on her hips. "What's going on, Zell?! I heard you on the phone! Hell, most of the neighbours could have heard that!!"

"Ma, now's not the time, ok?" Zell aid forcibly, grabbing her suitcase and snapping it shut quickly. "You have three minutes to get out the door _right now!!_"

Ma stood where he was. "Zell, I'm not leaving this house! I was brought up in this house, and I'll not run form it in it's time of need…Zell Dincht, put you're mother down this instant!!" she suddenly shrieked as Zell effortlessly picked her up and slung her over his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Ma, but just shut up for now, ok?" He yelled as he grabbed the suitcase and ran into the corridor, where Angel waited.

He shoved the suitcase into her arms and grabbed her shoulder, his mind ticking the time down as he bolted down the stairs.

One minute fifteen…one minute fourteen…one minute thirteen… 

He managed to get to the door just as the device blew, blasting the house to smithereens and reducing everything inside to rubble.

The blast took him clean in the face, blowing him into the living room and as far away from the escape route as possible.

*          *            *

The explosion was spectacular, able to be seen from kilometres away. The ball of flame that went up rose a full five stories, and the debris shredded every wall within the blast radius. Luckily, there was no one on the streets at the time…but that changed completely.

People ran from all directions – the owners of the Balamb hotel, the neighbours, the car dealer, even the dude who sat on the bench just outside the weapons shop, they all ran to see the house go up in flames.

The car dealer ran up to the now demolished house, shielding his face from the intense heat from the blaze. "Hyne! Someone call the fire specialists, right now!!"

"Was there anybody in there?" someone cried.

"That was Zell Dincht's house! He was back in for leave!!"

"Hyne! He had his girlfriend in there with him too!"

"Wait…what's that?!"

From the flaming wreckage, something clattered to the ground, the area where it fell bursting into a small ball of flame…and then Zell burst through the fire, his Ma on one shoulder, Angel on the other, the flames licking around him as if to try and pull him back into the inferno.

He dropped to the ground with a thump, rolling to a stop, the women falling to the ground behind him. He lay there for a second, breathing heavily, his face and clothes black from the flames, the Shell spell around him flickering and dying, before picking himself up and crawling over to the two women. He checked them over, before nodding to himself.

"Hyne, Zell, what happened to you…?" The car dealer said, but Zell simply stood and walked back into the flames, the fire enveloping him as he moved through the house.

The spectators watched him go, knowing full well that they couldn't have stopped him even if they wanted to. They muttered between themselves, some running for the fire specialists, others looking over the two women.

Zell suddenly walked back out from the fire, carrying a bag and a suitcase, as well as a few things in his hands.

He dumped the items onto the floor and ran to Angel, the Shell spell dying once more as he knelt beside her. He cradled her head in his arms, brushing his hand over her face, concentrating hard as the Cure spell flowed through his body into hers

The green light faded, and he held his breath for what seemed like an eternity…before watching her cough. The look in his eyes went from a vicious determination to a sad happiness, and he hugged her close, rocking on his haunches as he pulled her close.

"Oh Hyne…oh God…" He muttered, tears beginning to cut trails through his soot – blackened face. "I thought I lost you there for a second…"

She seemed to come around and clung with him, gripping his burnt shirt as she wept into his shoulder, her shoulders heaving as she sobbed.

He patted her hair down as he watched Ma come around, shaking her head and looking at Zell as he hushed at Angel soothingly. "Shhh, shhh, it's ok now, it's over now baby, its over…" he whispered into her ear.

*          *            *

They waited next to the weapon shop, watching the house burn, as the fire specialists finally arrived, jumping out of the red car they travelled in and casting Water spells again and again, saturating the building with magical H2O.

Ma sat on the bench, head in hands, not wanting to see her house go up in flames. Angel sat beside her, her hand rubbing her back soothingly, whispering meaningless words not her ears as she watched the house collapse under it's own weight.

Zell stood to the side of the weapon shop, his back leant against the wall, his hands shoved into his pockets, his eyes firmly planted on the scene before him, watching the destruction as it continued, his face unreadable as he stared at the flames.

_Congratulations._ A dark voice said in his mind mockingly. _You're one step closer to oblivion._

_You'd better shut up, Diablo, otherwise I'll summon you to simply kick the crap out of you._

What are you going to do, mortal? Beat me? I'm a Guardian Force! I can't die! You can kill me, but I'll simply return twice as powerful, and angrier then ever.

_I'm not joking, Diablo. I will summon you, and I will kill you._

Diablo chose not to answer.

Angel looked up at Zell. "What do we do now, Zell?"

Zell didn't look down at them. He simply spoke. "We'll go to Garden. Headmaster Cid will provide Ma with accommodation until this whole thing blows over. It'd be best if you stay there until I say otherwise as well, Angel."

"Why, Zell? Are we in danger?"

"Now? Yes."

Angel paused at the bluntness he delivered the message, cold and precise, like a shard of ice piercing the brain. "What about you? What are you going to do?"

Zell seemed to paused, before answering. "I don't think you want to know…"

Angel stopped him, standing and moving in front of him. "No! I think I have a right to…" Her protests stopped as she saw the look on his face.

"You'll go to Garden, _now_, and report to Headmaster Cid." He brushed past her, picking up the bag with his clothes in it. "I've got a train to catch."

Angel watched him walk in the direction of the train station, before running to him, stopping him and turning him around. "Zell! What's gotten into you?!"

He looked down at her, before brushing a lock of hair from her face. "Just do as I say, Angel. I swear I'll make it all better."

With those words, he turned, and left her all alone.

*          *            *

FH was infinitely quiet, the inhabitants only just waking as the sun sat well in the sky.

Grease Monkey staggered from bed, scratching his ass as he pressed the button on the coffee maker, before lugging his huge frame back into the bedroom.

"You want coffee, hon?"

Chloe simply grunted and rolled over, too exhausted from the night before to speak.

Grease Monkey grinned goofily, before remoulding his pounding walk into a swagger. "Oh, yeah…the Monkey's still got it!" he muttered to himself, twirling on the spot and doing a little jump.

Without warning the door blew off its hinges, flying across the room and smashing into the wall opposite the area where Monkey just stood. It stood upright against the wall for a second, before creaking over, falling with a loud _bang_.

Grease Monkey removed his head from his hands and looked up as Zell walked through the now-open doorway.

"You're lucky we FH people are good at fixing things, Zell, cause that door is going to cost you urrrrk!" Grease suddenly spluttered as Zell walked forward and grabbed him by his throat, lifting his huge frame off the floor with no effort at all.

"Are they ready?" Zell growled, the look in his eyes one of pure rage.

Monkey nodded intensely, and Zell dropped him. He tumbled to the floor like a sack of potatoes, and rubbed his throat painfully. "Hyne, Zell, what's gotten into you?" he groaned.

"My home was bombed today. My girlfriend and Ma were almost killed. So don't _fuck_ around with me right now, Monkey!" Zell screamed. "Just give them to me!!"

The Monkey picked himself up and moved to the back of the shop, coming back with a small box. "H-here, man…new and improved, just like you requested."

Zell took the box quickly, knocking the top off.

Inside were his Ehrgiez gloves, the leather new, and the adamantine shiny, shiny enough to look into. Where there had been leather fingers there were now metal fingers. Zell frowned. "Hmmm…"

"Try em on, man."

Zell dropped the duffel he was carrying and ripped his Metal Knuckles he wore off, tossing them on top of the bag, and pulled the 'new and improved' Ehrgiez gloves on. He flexed his fingers in them, before smashing a fist into a palm. "They feel lighter…"

"Dude!! They're a work of art!! Here, try em out on this…" Monkey said, forgetting the imminent danger he was in for a second, his FH heritage kicking in. He picked up a piece of sheer adamantine leaning on a wall, and held it up for Zell. "Go on! Punch away!!"

Zell narrowed his eyes – before a dent suddenly appeared in the nigh-to-indestructible metal. Zell's eyes narrowed as several more dents appeared, before finally his hand punched _straight through_ the unbreakable metal, stopping several centimetres from Monkey's face.

"Impressive…" Zell muttered, pulling his hand from the metal, and looking down a the gloves. "Not a mark…and I didn't feel a thing…"

"Yeah…I replaced the leather interior with an adamantine chain mail, giving extra protection where the leather probably wouldn't. Also, I lessened the adamantine plating on the knuckles."

"Why?"

"Well, the old plating was too thick. It was dead weight. This way you still have the strength of you're old gloves, plus it's lighter and stronger. Also, the finger armour will provide less breakage if you have to, say, punch a hole through sheer adamantine again."

"Excellent." Zell muttered, patting Monkey on the shoulder. "Thank you, Monkey. Here…" He said, reaching into a pocket and pulling out a wad of Gil. "This is for the gloves and the door…" He handed the mechanic the money and picked up his duffel and other gauntlets before walking towards the door.

Monkey finished counting the money before calling out. "Hey! You gave me way too much, man…" but his yell fell on deaf ears as Zell walked out the door.

"Ok then…seeya around!!" Money turned and walked back into the bedroom. "Chloe! Wake up! We're going to have breakfast in Esthar today!!"

Chloe blinked sleepily, completely unaware of what had just happened. "But…Monkey, a train ticket to Esthar cost at least…five hundred Gil."

"Well then, it looked like we'll be going there for breakfast for at least a month!!"

*          *            *

Zell stood outside the Mayor's home as the Ragnarok flew into view, his face grim as it's reverse thrusters kicked in, blowing wind and loosen metal everywhere.

The loading ramp opened, and Squall stood on the edge of it as it lowered, the Ragnarok hovering just off the ground as Zell jumped up and into the giant red dragon.

Squall said nothing – just looked at Zell with his _own_ blank stare, before the ramp shut, and the gigantic dragon flew up into the sky, boosting away in a flash of plasm.


	18. Round 3 Zell VS Strange

Ch 18 – Round 3 – Zell VS Strange

"So, how was you're break, Zell?"

Zell simply sat on the sofa, his arms crossed, his eyes blank as he stared at the wall.

"You…didn't have a good time?"

Zell looked at Rinoa as if to say _don't bug me, woman_, and resumed him look at the wall.

Squall walked into the leisure centre. He took one look at the situation and walked over to Rinoa, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Lets just leave Zell alone, Rinoa. He hasn't had such a good day." He stood her up and walked her out, leaving Zell to his musing.

His mind was in a blur, his sight filled with a crimson rage. _Who…who are you? Why do you want to fight me? For money? Revenge? Or some kind of personal gain…some kind of self realisation about yourself?_

He looked down at his hands, covered in shining metal armour, the Uber Ehrgiez gauntlets glinting in the light. _Why did I want these refined? They were good enough before. Do I think that I'll need the extra protection from you? Or do I think that I simply need the extra strength, the extra boost?_

He shook his head. _It was stupid to go back home. I should have known that something like this would have happened. Something like this _would_ have happened. It's all my fault that my home was blown to bits. I should have seen it all coming…I should have gotten them out of the house as soon as I heard his voice…dammit, I should have figured out who he is by now!!_

He realised that he had balled his fists, the metallic armour making small creaking noises as he flexed his hands again and again. He tried to relax, but found that he couldn't, his body seeming to teem with excess energy. _Dammit…I guess all I can do for now is go on with the Tournament…I can't back out now. He'll just keep coming after me until we fight. I have to follow through._

Nodding once, he stood and moved out of the leisure centre, finding his way to the cockpit elevator.

*          *            *

"His home was destroyed, Selphie. How would you feel?"

"Hey, I lost Trabia, ok? I know how he feels."

"Ok, bad example. But I'm just saying, you have to give him a little leniency…this bastard tries to kill his family, and him, all in one morning. _This_ morning."

"All I'm saying is that it wouldn't kill him to say hi when he sees us, that's all…"

Selphie and Irvine suddenly paused, both of them turning to see Zell standing behind them, still on the elevator platform, with his arms crossed. He waited until he had their attention, and walked forward. "Where we going?"

Irvine cleared his throat. "Uhh…Trabia. Squall says that the Tournament is back up already – the Galbadians got all they could from the Shooting Star guy, so they figured that they didn't really need to hold it off any longer." He looked at the shiny gloves. "Hey, what'd you do to you're Ehrgiez gloves? They look cool!"

Zell held one up for them to see. "You like?" He asked, balling his hand into a fist, as if to crush the air. "New and improved. The Uber Ehrgiez. Sweet huh?"

"'Uber'? Isn't that Old World for 'cool', or 'better'?"

"Yep. Cool, huh?"

Selphie stole a quick look before turning her head back to the controls. "Pretty sweet, Zell…" She said dully, not taking interest as she flew the Ragnarok.

Zell paused, lowering his hand. He opened his mouth suddenly, as if to apologise…but instead closed it, shook his head, and stepped back on the elevator, disappearing from view.

Irvine turned to Selphie, swivelling in the co-pilot chair. "That wasn't very nice, Selphie!"

"What?! I'm trying to fly, here!!"

*          *            *

Rinoa and Squall were in their quarters, spending some time together. Squall lay on the bed, Rinoa on top of him, lying forward. It was times like this that they liked to be close, they needed to touch, and it did the both of them a world of good.

If you met them individually, you'd think they'd be the perfect opposites – Rinoa, with her bubbly attitude, bright clothing and happy disposition. Squall, with his brooding angst, his leather and chains wardrobe and lone wolf attitude.

Together, however, they were like Ying and Yang – two opposites that connected perfectly. Squall's influence managed to bring the serious, critical Rinoa out, whilst Rinoa's influence managed to make Squall see the world in a brighter light.

Right now none of that mattered, however. All that mattered now was that they were together, and that they loved one another. Peaceful, calm times like these, where they could simply lay in each other's arms, not speaking, not moving, simply _being_, was when their relationship was at it's peak.

The sex helped too.

Right now, however, their time was rudely interrupted by a knock on the door.

Squall stirred. "Hyne, just go away…" he murmured, before squeezing Rinoa's shoulder. She broke away the stare that they had been building, looking into each other's eyes as if to try and find life's answers, and rolled to the side into the little crevasse between Squall's body and the wall. She placed an arm around his midriff and said nothing.

"Come in." Squall said loudly, and the door opened to allow Zell entrance.

He took two steps into the room, the door closing behind him, before he saw their position. "Ah, Hyne, sorry…" He muttered, looking down at his shoes quickly. He promptly turned and ran into the now closed door with a resounding bang.

Squall raised a hand. "Zell…it's ok."

Zell turned, rubbing his nose, slightly embarrassed. "I just wanted to know what we're going to do now."

Squall gestured to the desk chair, and Zell took a seat. "We're going to continue with the Tournament, gathering information as we go. The Tournament starts again today, and is being kicked off rather quickly. The first match begins in close to two hours."

"Do we know if the Galbadians got anything else from Shooting Star?"

Squall shook his head. "Nothing new. Which is why we'll need to remain alert throughout the remaining Tournament. We need to keep you in one piece until the end of the event."

Zell smiled, lowering his gaze to his gauntlets. "What makes you think I'll survive that long, Squall?"

"Because I know you will."

Zell looked at Squall, before nodding. "Ok." He stood. "I'll leave you two alone, then. I suppose I'd better rest up."

He walked to the door, before Rinoa spoke up. "Zell…I'm sorry about your home."

He paused, one hand hovering just above the door stud. "I am too…" He muttered, not bothering to look back as he pressed the stud and walked out the door.

*          *            *

Walking to his quarters, he removed the Uber Ehrgiez gauntlets carefully, placing them on the small table beside the cot. He pulled off his sneakers and tossed them into the corner of the room, before reclining on the cot, placing his hands behind his head.

He didn't feel tired – simply empty, like someone had ripped a piece out of him and blew it to bits.

He closed his eyes, remembering the flames as they licked out of the device embedded in the wall. He remembered stopping suddenly, the Shell forming almost instinctively around him and the women, the shock of the blast throwing them all back into the living room.

He remembered the look on Angel's face as he brushed the lock of hair away from her eyes, the ones filling with tears as he turned, the ones that looked uncertain as he turned from her, abandoning her, leaving her to the elements.

He closed his eyes to the tears, but they flowed down his face anyways.

*          *            *

The biting cold air of the Trabia winter land slashed Zell's face as his feet finally touched snow.

They all trudged off the Ragnarok into the bitter cold, Selphie the only one who seemed not to mind, instantly in her element as she ran around the ramp to try and find some people from Trabia Garden.

A stiff breeze had blown up, and Irvine raised the ramp before anybody could retreat back in, and before any snow could bank on the ramp.

Squall stood close to Rinoa, his black leather coat now draped over her slim shoulders. "The defect Galbadians might still try to retaliate for the failure of their soldiers on the Ragnarok…so stay sharp."

Irvine tipped his fedora up and pulled his trench coat closed, before slinging the double-barrelled shotgun to his shoulder. "Don't worry about us, Squall. We'll keep our eyes open. We'll meet in the eating area later, okay?"

Squall nodded, before leading a shivering Rinoa away to the eating area to get some hot food.

Zell cast an uninterested eye over the proceedings. Winter Island was just to the north of the Sorbald Snowfields, northwest of Traiba Garden. The Garden had been kind enough to help set up for the tournament here, allowing the Galbadian government to set up under their careful supervision – after the Missile Base episode, the Trabians had become slightly paranoid of outside interventions…but only slightly.

The first area of the island, the west side of the island, was the spectator area – set up just on the base of the mountain was a giant vid-screen, flanked by giant speakers to boom out the sounds of the battle. Just like the Serengetti Plains, the vid-screen had rows and rows of seats in front of it, as well as the separate booths for VIP and special showings.

On the other side of the island was the fighting arena – an elongated length of land, the peninsula spanning almost two hundred kilometres by fifty kilometres. Plenty of room for fighters to…expand each other's horizons.

Irvine clapped a hand on Zell's shoulder. "Hey man. How bout you and me go and get us some chow, huh?"

Zell looked at Irvine and nodded. "That sounds like a good idea, man."

They walked over to the eating area, moving to a hot food stand. Squall and Rinoa were nowhere to be seen.

Irvine walked up to the counter and placed both hands on the top of it. "Two hot chocolates, a steak and veg for me and three hotdogs for my friend."

The girl looked at Irvine, before looking over his shoulder at Zell - and promptly fainted, falling to the ground with a 'whump'.

Irvine blinked, before frowning confusingly. Zell scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment. "I suppose the last anybody saw of me was a shot up corpse. It must be a shock to see someone walking around after they've been shot seven times with a high-powered rifle."

Zell and Irvine curiously craned their heads over the counter to look at the comatose girl, before looking at each other. Zell gestured at her with a hand. Irvine frowned again. "Why do I have to wake her? You're the one who's dead, remember?!"

Suddenly another girl walked out from the back of the store. "What's going on here…my Hyne! Mr. Zell…you're alive!!"

Zell smiled. "Oh! Hey, you're the chick who wanted me to sign your…" He suddenly realised that Irvine was standing next to him. "…Never mind."

"You're dead!!" She said, her hand over her mouth.

"Not quite."

"You're _dead_!!"

"Not _quite_."

Meryl tried to compose herself, crouching next to her fainted comrade. "I don't understand…we saw you get shot!"

Irvine looked at Zell. "Maybe we ought to go somewhere else."

"Yes. Lets."

They left the two girls to their own devices and went to another vender, one that had a guy behind the counter. He served them their food, rang up the cost, and gave them their change, before smiling. "Thanks for coming here, Mr. Dincht. Good luck next round."

Zell blinked, before smiling. "Uh…thanks buddy."

The two SeeDs took a seat at a table, snickering like children at the re-actions of the people around them. Most simply stared at Zell, as if they were waiting for them to lower his collar and show them his vampire bite. But all he did was smile and bite down on his hotdog.

The crowd around them consisted of a mixture of fighters and spectators. They mostly kept to themselves.

Irvine had gotten a full steak and veg lunch, and he began to cut up his potatoes. "So, who you fighting next?"

"You know the chick that had been around when we escaped from Serengetti?"

"The Goth?"

"Yeah. She says her name is Emily Strange…"

"Weird name…"

"Forget her name! I'm worried about her, man…she might be a handful."

"What makes you say that?"

Zell frowned. "She…she seemed to do something to me…I felt this urge to…kiss her. And I have no idea why."

Irvine frowned, munching on a forkful of peas, before swallowing. "You know what that sounds like?"

"What?"

Irvine summed up his idea in one word. "Blue."

_Shit._ Zell thought. Blue magic was in a league of it's own. It wasn't Elemental, or Forbidden, or Time, or White – it was the _blue_ magic, the enemies foray. 

Every now and then, there are humans born with the ability to use monster magic – Gatling Gun, Shockwave Fulsar and White Wind came to Zell's mind. Quistis was a Blue user – and it came in handy quite a lot, for a Blue user didn't need to draw magic from their enemies to use it.

A Blue user only needs to touch, smell, or simply _see_ a certain part of a monster or a certain item refined from a monster, and a dormant part of their brain seemed to open, like a floodgate, infusing them with new powers almost instantly. Even worse, the person had an infinite supply of the magic – they didn't need to draw it, or see the item again to re-infuse them.

"So, what kind of Blue has she been using on me, then?" Zell asked, biting a hotdog.

"Well…it's hard to say…there's quite a lot out there…although I'd have to say it sounds like a variations of Ultra Waves, but don't quote me on that."

"Hang on…" Zell said, spraying the table with half-chewed dog. "…How do you know so much about magic?"

"When you desperately want to use magic as much as I did, you go to _all_ the classes, even the Blue classes." Irvine shuffled the contents of his plate around with a fork. "But even that didn't help…"

Zell smiled and reached over the table, patting the gunslinger on the shoulder. "Don't worry, man. We all have our place in this world. You simply can't use magic."

Irvine smiled. "Yeah…"

"And besides, all those people joining you're classes just to try and learn the techniques of the infamous Sorceress Slayer…heh, I'd say your little secret coming out was the best thing that had happened to you."

"Look, enough about me, it's her that you have to worry about. If she's infused with a variation of Ultra Waves, who knows what else she's got bouncing around in that head of hers!"

"Who knows, indeed?"

Zell and Irvine both turned to see Emily Strange, looking dark in black leather pants and a leather coat…with not much under that. "The Hunter and the Slayer…a fine couple you two make."

Zell smiled. "I'd be careful with all that metal in you're face, Emily. It might slow you down on the field."

"Oh, be rest assured, Hunter, I wont be the one who's slow…" she smiled, narrowing her eyes.

Zell smiled back as the Shell sprang up around him, watching as she grimaced. "A good magician…" He muttered, his grin growing wider. "…Never repeats the same trick." He lowered the Shell as he sensed her assault dissipate.

Emily's frown turned into a sly smile. "Interesting…you're better at magic then most of these amateurs." She leaned close to him, her face a mere inch from his. He could see right into her jacket, at her bare chest underneath. He turned his head away politely. "My Blue magic isn't the only thing you'll have to worry about…but at least it'll keep you on your toes."

She turned to Irvine. "And what about you, Slayer? How would you fare against my unique ability?"

Irvine smiled, his shotgun not pointed at the fighter…but not pointed away. "Well, you could find out…but you'd have to speak to my friend here." He said, patting the large shotgun.

Emily smiled. "Oh, I'm sure you're friend isn't that hard to bypass." She straightened up, throwing her ponytail over her shoulder again. "I'll see you around, Hunter." She pulled a pair of wrap-around dark sunglasses from a pocket and put them on. "Places to be, people to do…"

Irvine and Zell watched her walk off, before Zell breathed a sigh of relief.

Irvine frowned at Zell's reaction. "What?"

"She's stronger then she looks…it took all my willpower to keep the Shell up when she assaulted me…"

"You think you can beat her?" Irvine asked cautiously.

"Physically? Yes…she wouldn't be able to stand up to me in a one-on-one…but magically? Well…" Zell frowned. "We'll just have to see."

*          *            *

Zell and Irvine talked about trivial things until Squall, Rinoa and Selphie finally appeared, taking their places around the table.

Zell leaned back in his chair, placing his boots on the table to stop himself from falling over. "Where have you guys been?"

"Gathering information, Zell." Squall stated matter-of-factly. "We need to find out as much of you're next opponent as we can."

"Big deal. We've already got enough info on her." Zell said with a wave of his hand.

Squall blinked at that. "What? How?"

"We talked. To her. Just a few minutes ago."

"Talked?!" Squall exclaimed, the idea that to simply walk up to the subject and ask them a question completely alien. "Why'd you do that?!"

"She walked up to us and began talking! It'd be rude to simply ignore her!"

Squall face-palmed, his voice straining as he spoke. "You ever heard of the term _low profile_, Zell?"

"She already knows a _lot_ more of us then we know of her. Like the fact that she knows out Sorceress aliases. And that Irvine doesn't know how to use magic. She's been _fully _briefed. All we know is that she knows the assassin."

Squall rolled his eyes. "Then why didn't you just grab her and question her?"

Zell rolled his eyes at the contradiction to himself that Squall had made. "Squall, you obviously haven't met her. This isn't some chick who's good at martial arts. This is a chick who can crush a Red Dragon in a manner of _minutes_! Not only that, she's a _Blue_ user."

Rinoa frowned. "Blue magic…that's uncharted territory, even for _me_."

Selphie smiled. "I know some Blue magic!!" She announced happily. It was true. Her Barrier and Freedom magic was one-of-a-kind.

Everybody looked at her as she beamed idiotically. Squall face palmed again and let his upper body topple to the table. Rinoa rubbed his back soothingly. "That's…great hon." Irvine said, patting her hand like he would a child.

"No! I know how to use Blue magic, and I know how to get around it!!"

Zell sat up and leaned forward, his attention completely on Selphie. "How?"

*          *            *

Zell shook his head again. I cant believe it's that simple! Usually I just get rid of em before I can use it, but it's just that simple!!

Zell still couldn't believe the tactic that Selphie had placed on the table for them. It was _ingenious_! It was _magnificent_! It was…so stupidly _simple!_

He lowered his body to the ground and pushed up once more, doing handstand pushups before the match. "Five hundred and twenty six…five hundred and twenty seven…" He had changed just before coming into the warmup tent into a black sweatshirt and a black pair of snow pants. He wore black snow boots too, SeeD issue, guaranteed to make you think you're running on solid ground when running through snow.

He looked at Emily, who was quietly doing some shadow boxing near a wall. _You have no idea what I have in stall for you, little missy._

"Hi Zell."

Zell craned his head up to see July standing just inside the warm up tent's flap, her navy blue parka making her look like a bloated blueberry. Her blond hair was tied back into a ponytail, and she removed the sunglasses that adorned her face.

"Hiya July." Zell said, his tone neutral as he resumed the pushups. "Five hundred and twenty eight…five hundred and twenty nine…"

She walked into the tent, sitting on a bench next to where Zell was doing his warm-up. His equipment was laid out next to him – dark glasses to protect against the glare of the sun over the snow, a bandana to keep his sweat from freezing on his forehead, and his Uber Ehrgiez gauntlets. She looked down at them with curiosity. "Wow, cool…" she said, reaching out for them – 

"Hey!" Zell said suddenly, pausing mid-push. "Don't touch!"

July lowered her hand sadly, placing it on her lap with the other one. "Sorry."

Zell nodded and resumed his pushups. "Five hundred and thirty five…five hundred and thirty six…"

"So…how was your break?"

Zell rolled his eyes. "Peachy."

The girl nodded, looking down at her hands in her lap again. Tension grew as the silence built, the only noise being Zell's counting and Emily's fists 'swif-swif'ing through the air as her punches increased in tempo.

July sighed, obviously getting agitated. "Look…Zell…I…I just came to say…"

"Five hundred and forty nine…five hundred and fifty!" Zell finished the pushups, lowering his body to the ground and pushing up, flipping backwards and landing on his feet. He held up a hand to silence July. "Don't worry about explanations, July. You just did what you had to do."

July's eyes widened. "No! I never wanted…"

"What? To sling mud in my direction? To sic the Galbadian government on me? Cause if that's what you wanted to do, then congratulations! Now I have to watch my back wherever I go, thanks to you!"

"I never wanted you're reputation to be sullied in the least! We have a mission to complete, but the mission briefing didn't include slinging dirt!!"

Zell cricked his neck, before rolling it on it's base. "Just leave, July. You're not even supposed to be here."

The girl stood, her bottom lip trembling – before she fled the tent, trying to fight the tears.

Unable to stop himself, Zell watched her run, before taking her place, sitting down where she sat and heaving a sigh. He shook his head and rubbed his face with a hand. _Since when did you become so heartless, Dincht? Since my house got blown up this morning, that's when._

A pair of slim arms wrapped themselves around his chest comfortably, and he instinctively snuggled closer, memories of Angel wafting through his musings – before a cool voice whispered in his ear. "Having girrrrrl trouble, Hunter?" Emily purred.

He smiled, turning his head to look at her, their lips mere centimetres from each other. "That…is none of you're business." 

"I make everything my business." She replied mysteriously

_Why didn't you just grab her and question her then?_

Hmm…you may have a point here, Squall. Zell wondered.

"Really?" Zell picked up one of the gauntlets and slammed it down onto his hand, opening and closing his hand to make sure it was snug. "Then how about telling me a bit about a certain someone."

She was obviously smitten with him. He could see it in her eyes. They danced playfully as her black lips twisted into a cute smile on her pale skin. "How about we trade?"

Zell cocked an eyebrow. "What kind of trade?"

"I get a kiss from you…and then you can ask one question about our certain someone." Her smile grew. "And I'll try to be as truthful as I can."

"Lemme guess…one kiss per question, right?"

"You're good, Hunter."

Zell smiled again. "What is it with you and trying to kiss me?"

Emily raised a hand and began to trace it on his chest. "Can't a girl have any fun? I train for almost two years, with no physical contact with anyone except those walking meat bags Sheran and Qultus and that bitch Clara, and I can't even fool around with a normal guy!"

Zell smirked. "I'm far from normal, hon."

Emily's smile grew wider, her eyes twinkling as her gaze meandered from his chest to somewhere lower. She cocked her head to the side. "I figured as much…"

Suddenly an official walked into the tent, looking down at a file in his hand. "Okay…Emily Strange and Zell Din…" His voice trailed off as he saw the position the two fighters were in. 

Emily looked up at him with murder in her eyes, but Zell stood quickly, disengaging Emily's grip. "What's going on, buddy?"

"Uhh…your fight starts in a few minutes, sir. If the two of you would just follow me?"

Emily stood, straightening out her jacket. "We'll continue this conversation later, Hunter." She said, pinching his ass before sauntering out the flap, butting past the official with a growl.

Zell scratched the back of his neck with a small laugh. The official smiled pleasantly. "Lucky man."

"I don't think so, buddy. I don't think so."

*          *            *

"Ok, now hop onto the device, and you'll be on your way."

Zell turned to Emily as she put her input-output devices in her ears and cleared his throat. "I hope you're not going to do anything dodgy like Sheran did, are you?"

Emily rolled her eyes. "Please."

Zell blinked. "…Good. Cause I didn't want to go through that again. It hurt. A lot. A _whole _lot."

Emily seemed to pause, before turning to him and placing a hand on his chest. "Well…if it's pain you want…"

The official cleared his throat purposefully, and Emily turned her head to look at him again. Zell watched as her eyes began to glow a bright blue, and he immediately stepped in front of her and gestured to the device. "Uh, ladies first, I suppose." He said hurriedly.

Emily looked up at him with distain, the bright glow dissipating, before climbing onto the device unhurriedly.

Zell winked at the official, before jumping on the device himself.

The official, oblivious to the brush with death he had just survived, pressed the switch ignorantly, watching them blast off into the air.

*          *            *

The device took off with astounding speed, the landscape flitting past underneath them blindly as they flew through the air.

Zell took a seat far away from the pouting Strange, lest she actually did do something…but all she did was speak. "Why?"

"Why what?" He replied cautiously, interlocking his fingers and bending them outwards, allowing them to crack.

"Why didn't you let me…punish him for interrupting us?"

Zell lowered his gaze to his gauntlets, placing them in his lap. "We can't just walk around flaunting our powers. We have to use them only when we need to, to help people…not hurt them."

The gothic fighter snorted. "I can poke some many holes in that theory it's not funny. Why do you follow such a stupid ideal?" She turned to him, scooting around the device to sit next to him. "You could be worshipped with the power you hold right now. Why waste it on trivial matters like helping people?"

He looked down at her with sadness. "And why waste your powers on hurting yourself? Why waste them on hurting others?"

Her pretty face twisted with irritation. "I don't hurt them! I set them free from the pain in this world!!"

Zell frowned at her. "Do you really believe that?"

Her grimace twisted into a smile. "You should know all about pain. I heard about what happened this morning." She watched his expression change. "Oh, have I offended you?! You know, you really pissed him off, doing what you did. He said you simply deserved it."

Zell's eyes were filled with rage, and he spoke with a calm unused by the mask he wore. "Who is he?"

Emily raised a hand, waggling a finger at him. "Uh, uh, uh! I haven't received my kiss yet!"

The rage was building within him, and he tried to fight it back. "Just tell me who he is…and I'll let you walk out of here."

"Oh, threatening the little Goth girl with pain? Come on…" she pulled at one of her earrings, the sharp spike coming off easily. Toying with it in her hand, she suddenly stabbed it into the tip her index and middle fingers, watching with a smile as the blood began to ooze out of the small wounds. She breathed with ecstasy as she watched the blood trail down her hand. "Who do you think I am?"

He watched as she smeared the blood under her eyes, tracing two lines just under her eyes, before offering the finger to him. "Taste?"

He looked at her with dully, before pushing the hand away with a gauntlet. "I don't like the taste of blood."

"You don't know what you're missing, baby."

The device began to slow, coming to the battlefield. The time had come.

*          *            *

They both stepped off the device, watching it fly off. The wind was whipping around them, picking up clumps of snow and spreading them like dust in a stiff breeze.

The afternoon sun burned down through the small storm, muffling the light reflected off the ground – but still making them squint blindly.

Zell removed the bandana he had in his pocket, tying it to his head, before removing the wrap-around sunglasses and putting them on. He looked at Emily as she put her own glasses on, before wrapping her coat around her a little more tightly.

Contestants, you may begin when ready. The announcer said through their earpieces.

"Cool…" Zell said, taking his position.

Emily simply smirked at him through the snow. "Don't you think we ought to wait for the wind to die down?"

Zell rolled his eyes, even though she couldn't see it. "Come on. That could take ages."

Emily winked at him, before raising her tiny hands. With a shrill scream her hands burst in flames, the fire enveloping the air around them, dissolving the snow, killing the breeze, until the area around them was calm and peaceful.

Zell looked around him awkwardly. "Whoa…"

The Goth smiled. "That's right."

She stepped in close suddenly, her fists a blur, smashing his head around like a focus bag as she scored hit after hit, her tiny hands making small 'biff' noises as they smashed his head again and again and again…

Before he caught a hand in his shiny gauntlet, capturing the attack mid-punch. He smiled down at her evilly. He didn't have a scratch on him. "You'll have to better then that, my dear." He said coolly.

"Ok…" She replied, reaching back with her free hand and blasting a Firaga right in his face, blowing him away as the powerful fire magic picked him up and threw him away like a rag doll in a storm.

He managed to get the Shell up at the last _millisecond_, landing on his back and skidding through the snow as the remanets of the attack left his mind. _Woo…better not do that again._

He looked up to see her flying down at him, her knee aiming for his stomach as she screamed like a premenstrual banshee.

He countered the attack, rolling his body up onto his hands and springing up, meeting her in mid air, his boots smashing her in the midriff, blowing the air out of her.

They landed on the ground together, skidding through the snow, Zell on top. He grabbed the lapel of her jacket and nutted her with a 'Booya!', driving his skull into her forehead like a battering ram. He watched as she tried to regain her senses – and retaliated, swinging her hands up to slap him on the ears, the suddenly burst of pressure like someone inserting hot coals into each ear.

He pushed himself off her and staggered back, his vision swimming as he tried to focus his eyes. He shook his head and looked around for her to see her standing before him, hands splayed in front of her, massive quantities of energy lacing around her arms.

"Oh crap." Zell muttered as she began to scream, the power ripping around her arms growing and growing, until she screamed the name of the attack.

_"Meltdown!!"_

"Oh _shit!!_" Zell yelled, crisscrossing his arms and letting the Shell spring up around him as the non-elemental attack bore down on him. It was like a stream of pure energy, the power bearing down on him like a thousand T-Rexaurs.

He stood the blast, though, the energy slamming into the Shell and stopping it in it's tracks. That didn't stop it from bearing down on Zell, and his legs began to dig into the snow as the powerful energy beam began to push him back, every so slightly.

_Shit! What do I do??_ He wondered as the pressure began to build. _She's superior to me in magic in almost every way! And I can't pull off my countering move until she's finished!_

"Just let go, Zell!!" He heard Emily cry over the noise of the Meltdown. "I can go like this aaaall day!!"

Suddenly, he heard a cracking noise. It chilled him to the bone as he looked up.

The Shell was cracking, like an eggshell. It began as a tiny crack at first, but began to spread, like a spider web, until it began to bend inward towards Zell. He knew, for a fact, that if the Shell broke, he would most likely be screwed.

He set his jaw, out of options. Back flipping a few meters away, he _dropped the Shell_.

The Meltdown came at him like a locomotive, the point of the energy blast coming straight at him.

Insanely, he held up his hands, _capturing the magic in his hands._

The manoeuvre was tricky, but doable. If he could manage to apply enough pressure, he was able to…

Gritting his teeth with the effort, he threw his hands up, pushing the massive attack up into the atmosphere, where it exploded harmlessly.

"My Hyne, you are something special." He heard Emily say, and he turned to see her standing at ease, one hand on her hip, the other held up, hand open. "It took a lot to deflect my Meltdown…few people have been able to do it." Power began to flow through her, and she closed her hand as Dark matter began to swell in it. "But I'm not over yet."

Zell was ready for the attack, and watched as she tossed the Dark matter at him calmly, like tossing a baseball. He deflected the magic easily, slapping it to the side with an equally casual backhand, where it exploded in the snow to his left harmlessly.

"If that's all you got, then I'm not worried…" He began, turning to face her – to see that she had vanished. "Huh? Where'd you go?" He muttered, looking around himself, confused.

Ifrit's warm voice entered his mind. _Look to where the Dark energy is, human._

A sinking feeling entered Zell's stomach and began to grow as he watched the area where the Dark matter landed pulsed…and launched a big black ball into the air.

*          *            *

"Oh shit…she drew Diablos from me!" Zell gasped as the sky around him grew dark, deep purple clouds forming in the clear blue sky as the giant black ball hovered in mid air.

From the bottom of the ball came a large taloned foot. It wormed it's way out of the ball, closely followed by another foot, a leg, a torso, before Diablos finally formed his corporeal body, dripping with black goo. He was covered in it, saturated in it, the liquid filling him with energy.

His body was nothing short of demonic, red and black skin on his upper body, purple and blue fur on his lower body. His bat-like wings flapped out, spraying the area around him with black liquid, powerful strokes keeping him up in the air. Big plates, like armour, grew out from his face, covering his deep yellow eyes and mouth. A long, thin, forked tail snaked out from his behind. He looked, for the record, terrifying.

Zell wasn't that easily frightened, however. He opened his gauntlets, now filled with Fire, and he threw them at the Guardian Force, the puny magic easily bouncing off its tough hide. Zell grimaced and decided to up the ante a _lot_, slammed both his palms together, splaying his fingers and fanning his hands.

The Flare attack blasted from his hands, hammering towards Diablos with unadulterated speed and fury – to be slapped aside by the demon as easily as a child's attack.

_Foolish, Zell…_ Diablos said, his voice simply _in_ Zell's mind. _You know how powerful I have become now I'm with this female. I'll destroy you as easily as I destroyed you when we first met._

"We still acquired you, Diablos! And just like we did then, I'll get you back!!"

_Impudent child!_ Diablos spat. _You think I want to go back in your mind?! You make me want to vomit, you poor excuse for a human!!_

"That's it, Diablos…" Zell said through gritted teeth, pointing his finger at the flying demon "You're going to get such a _spanking_!!"

_You'll have to survive this, first, Zell._ Diablos lifted his arm, stabbing his taloned claws into the gigantic black ball, lightening lacing out from the hole as he squirmed his hand into the ball of pure Dark matter.

Zell crisscrossed his arms once more, the Shell forming around him again. "Bring it on, you overgrown bat!"

Diablos seemed to try and pull his arm from the ball of energy, the ball flowing out with his arm – before it realised that he wanted to throw it somewhere. Then it suddenly sprang out from it's limbo, leaving his claws and rocketing down to Gaia, directly at Zell.

_This…is going to hurt._ Zell thought to himself as the attack hit him square on.

*          *            *

The demon watched as the destruction laid waste to the ground around him, the snow dissolving instantly for a mile-wide radius, a gigantic crater appearing where the ball burrowed into the ground to crush the victim. The sound was breathtaking, the explosion seeming to take forever. The dark light seemed to go into the infinite, able to be seen throughout the world.

When the carnage was over, Diablos lowered from his hovering to the ground, landing on it's taloned feet. The rubble around it seemed to clear of it's own accord, flying away as the demon's feet touched ground. Snow began to fall ever so slightly, the faeiry's gift seeming a little too late for the fallen warrior.

Diablos wandered through the debris, kicking over one piece of earth, lifting another, seemingly to search for the remnants of the warrior.

He didn't need to search long.

A pile of rocks suddenly exploded upwards, and a very angry Zell stood where the blast originated.

He was breathing heavily, his fists balled. His shirt had been utterly destroyed, his chest and back covered in nicks and scratches. The Uber Ehrgiez gauntlets weren't so shiny now – the metal was covered in small scratches, and rock dust killed the gleam. Zell's face was covered in sweat, his bandana and sunglasses lost, but his rage surpassed all else.

"I told you – I'm going to spank you like a red-headed stepchild!"

Diablos growled like a animal, before taking off in flight, speeding towards Zell like a bat out of hell…straight into a left straight from Zell, followed by a right hook.

Able to reach his foe now, Zell pummelled him for all he was worth, the Uber Ehrgiez gauntlets smashing Diablos's rock hard face into putty, the clang of adamantine hitting fleshy armour echoing around the now rocky peninsula.

Diablos tried to fight back – his claws scratched over Zell's chest, tearing a fleshy strip of skin off the SeeD's torso – but it didn't faze Zell, who simply grabbed the hand with the torn skin and bent it upwards, the brittle snap the only thing louder then Diablos's scream of pain.

The scream was inhuman, rattling Zell's bones, vibrating the metal in his Uber Ehrgiez gauntlets. He let go of the demon and watched him fall to the ground, clutching his arm to his chest like a child with a broken toy.

Zell grimaced. "I'll send you back to hell, demon!!" He screamed, grabbing Diablos's horns and hammering his head to his with a 'Booya!'.

Diablos fell backwards, landing on his back, collapsing on his tail and wings. Zell blinked, a suddenly flash of inspiration hitting him.

He reached down and grabbed the tail, the barb of the back trying desperately to dig into his hands…but only finding indestructible adamantine. Swinging the demon around him again and again like a yo-yo, savouring the yells of anguish from the monster, Zell finally let go, throwing the demon high up into the sky.

He set his hands back, palms pressed together, the ground trembling beneath him as he drew on power that he hadn't had the need to draw on for years. His body began to smoke white smoke, the energy accumulating into his hands. "_Holy!!_" He screamed, blasting the white ball of Holy energy into the sky, taking the demon with full force.

Diablos screamed as the air around him suddenly filled with the completely opposite energy then what was in his body. Much like a human trying to swim naked in a vat of acid, the effects were devastating.

The thing that collapsed to the ground after the attack dissipated was not humanoid in shape. It was more of a blobby mass, splattering to the ground in a big clump with a loud 'splut'.

Zell took his time walking up to it, crouching next to it as he grinned. "Who's your daddy?"

_Zell!_ Diablos's dark voice screamed. _Zell! Please! You cannot leave me like this!!_

"You fuck with the Behemoth, Diablos, you get the horns. I warned you what would happen if you messed with me."

_Zell!!_ Diablos now pleaded, _Please save me!!_

Zell stood, placing a hand on his chin. "Hmmm…" He lowered the hand, a ball of lightening forming in the base of his palm. "Nah."

_Zell, I implore you! I'll serve you until you die! I swear by the almighty Hyne himself!!_

Zell smiled, lowering his hand. "That's better."

Closing his eyes, he focused his mind. Sensing the severely wounded GF before him, he drew the excess energy from the corporeal form into his body, allowing it to take refuge in a small part in the back of his brain. _Be thankful, Diablos. I don't know how long I'll be able to put up with your banter…but at least the Brothers will have someone else to talk to._

Diablos chose not to answer, deciding instead to rest.

*          *            *

Not far from the site of the reunion, Emily appeared in a small flash of green light. She shook her head as her body's molecules reassessed their situation, and took a few steps forward to take her bearings.

It looked like she had been transported to a different area, the ground massively disturbed, the snow falling slightly.

She kicked at the ground. She had hoped that Zell would have put up a better fight then that.

It was then that something ploughed into her back, picking her up off her feet and driving her into the ground as the thing on top of her road her down a small slope like a sand board.

She managed to rolled with the last few meters of the ride, coming up on her feet – to see Zell, beaten and bloody, but looking more filled with energy then before.

"Zell! Great to see that you survived!!" She muttered, picking herself up off the ground and patting down her black clothes.

Zell said nothing, not taking any chances and running forward, smashing a fist into her stomach. The attack lifted her off her feet, throwing her back into the snow. Zell pounced, straddling her and pounding away with his fists, smashing her again and again…

A sudden burst of energy threw him off her and they both stood uneasily, Emily probing her face painfully, Zells shaking his head to clear the chocobos running in his vision. 

Emily spat out a mouthful of blood, her face twisting as the waves of pain hit her again and again…before she smiled.

Uneasily taking a few steps back, she spoke, her voice painful. "Nice…real nice, Hunter…you're just the person I've been looking for…my whole life…" She blinked, as if to try and focus her eyes better. "But…I can't just have this…being a one way street…now can I?"

She threw her arm out suddenly, the magic taking Zell by surprise. His body seemed to burn with pain, every fibre in his being seeming to twist and turn, to be stabbed by white-hot needles. The Pain magic did its thing, making every sense an unbearable agony, every movement unbridled torture.

He collapsed to the ground in a fit of excruciation, every twitch bringing more agony, every groan inviting more pain.

Emily walked up to him, sitting beside him and running a hand over his face. "Hush…it'll be over in a few second…" Her eyes began to glow once more, the Blue magic beginning to flow. "I'll tell you what you need to know…but only after a kiss…"

She bent over him, her lips pressing to his; her tongue worming it's way into his mouth. She pressed her face against his, savouring the moment, drawing him into her arms.

The Pain magic finally dissipated, and Zell blinked as his senses came back to him. He quickly pushed her off of him, scrabbling back to put some ground between them.

She smiled seductively, sighing like a girl on a prom night. "Oh…now _that_ was something I'd die for…"

Zell blinked, frowning as his vision began to swim. "What…what did you do to me?"

"My Kiss Of Death technique…one of my Blue magic's." She sighed again, still savouring his taste. "You should have a few minutes of life left, before your heart stops and your head explodes." She looked down at her hands wistfully. "Too bad. You would have been so much fun to try and seduce…but your own willpower has been too much for me to overcome."

Zell blinked again. "Damn you!" He rushed forward, smashing a foot into her chest and landing an uppercut on her chin. Zell grabbing her jacket as she went up, and he pulled her down to smash into the ground.

"Hurt me all you want…I like it." She said with a smile. "There's nothing you can do now, Zell. My magic kiss will kill you. So…" She reached up slowly and ran a hand down his chest. "…Let's just make your last few minutes pleasurable, huh?"

He threw her away in disgust, looking around himself as if a cure to the magical poison would pop up out of nowhere…

_Wait…_he thought to himself. _She must have a counter to the poison…_

Concentrating, he Scanned her body, the list of magic she held entering his mind. It was wide and diverse, but he found something interesting.

Something that felt like a Dispel…but also an Esuna?

He narrowed his eyes and Drew some of it.

"What do you think you're doing?" Emily suddenly screamed, jumping up and running towards him, sending a jump kick right into his stomach.

The attack didn't even faze Zell – and he knew what the magic was. Blue. Concentrating hard, he felt the White power of the Blue flow through his body, and his mouth opened to utter the word of power.

"…Disuna…?" he muttered awkwardly, feeling his senses return to him, his vision clearing.

"Damn you!" Emily screamed, grabbing his head in both hands and pulling him down, puckering her lips for another try.

He intersected the interesting technique by shifting his palm in front of the both of them, her lips pressing against the cold adamantine of the Uber Ehrgiez gauntlet.

Moving fast, he pushed her away and traced a red pattern in the air, the magic sign flaring briefly before he pressed his palm against it, saying the word of power to activate the spell. "Silence!"

You could cast Silence simply by looking at the person who you wished to silence – but the best results needed the Forbidden Signs to be drawn in magical light and activated.

Emily grimaced, opening her mouth as she held up her hands – but no words came out, and no power was drawn. Her eyes widened as she realised what he had just done, rendering her only effective way of attack…utterly useless.

"You're no match for me now, Emily." Zell said slowly, drawing on his White magic to heal his wounds. "Give up. _Now_."

She seemed to try again, holding her arms out and silently screaming a word of power – but nothing happened. She threw her arms down in rage and ran forward, trying to attack Zell physically – but he either dodged the attacks, or simply fended them off.

He grimaced. "You can't beat me like this, Emily." He finally backhanded her, causing her to fall to the ground, knocked out. "Stay down."

*          *            *

_Wooo…that took a while!!_

_I hope you liked this fight scene – it took me about two full days to figure out, as well as actually write. I'd like to thank Emily Strange (AKA Alexandra Knight) for letting me use her as a character in this chapter. While I'm at it, I'd also liked to thank ShootinStar (AKA whoever) for letting me use him as the Sniper in Ch 14 – Dead Ends._

_Don't worry, however! There will be some more of Emily Strange to follow…as soon as I figure out what to write from here…_

_Have you figured out who the Assassin is yet? I'm beginning to get impatient now. The story is beginning to come to a conclusion, and I'm beginning to have trouble figuring out fight scenes. So, in two chapters, my competition will be officially closed! Remember, you have to make me _believe_ that the person you think is the Assassin _is_ the Assassin. And no half-assed excuses!! I'm trying to be serious about this!!_

_By the way, the next fight scene – I'll try to incorporate two GF!!_


	19. Infected

Ch 19 - Infected

Zell hopped off the transportation device, Emily's unconscious body slung over one shoulder.

President Justice and Squall stood before him. Justice stepped forward, looking splendid in a black trench coat and scarf, guarding him against the harsh cold. "An excellent fight, Zell. I can hardly believe some of the manoeuvres you showed off."

Zell smiled, slightly embarrassed. "Well…she put up quite a fight."

President Justice gestured to a small team of men, a pair of them carrying a stretcher. "If you don't mind, we'll allow the medial team to take her to the medical tent now."

"Oh yeah…right." Zell joked, looking at her as if she had suddenly appeared on his shoulder. The pair of men walked forward, and Zell gently placed her on the stretcher.

She slept quietly, her pale skin bruised in some places, her mouth and nose bleeding freely, her cloths dirty and torn from the battle. She didn't seem to be in any pain.

Zell watched her get carted off before turning back to Justice and Squall. "She had me a little worried for a second there…I didn't even feel her draw Diablos off me, she was so good."

Justice placed his hands in his pockets. "Yes, well, her main skill is magic…she can take down most major monsters with simple magic techniques, not to mention her Blue magic. She used her 'Kiss Of Death' on you, didn't she?" He shook his head. "I've seen the results of that trick…messy."

"It's a good thing she had a drawable cure for it…otherwise my brains would have been splattered all over the place right now."

"Quite…" The President of Galbadia said, suddenly becoming distracted as he saw something over Zell's shoulder. "Could you please excuse me for a minute, Zell? Someone needs to talk to me."

Zell was slightly surprised by the President's sudden want to leave, and shrugged. "No skin off my nose, Prez."

Justice nodded to him and Squall apologetically and walked off into the crowd, seeming to follow the medical team. Zell watched him go before he felt Squall's hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Squall present him with a jacket. "Put this on and follow me."

Zell did as he requested and they walked together, moving through the crowd slowly, taking their time. Squall seemed to be busy thinking of something, his hands firmly jammed in his pants pockets, his brow furrowed as he thought his thoughts. Zell took the time to regain some strength, placing his own hands in his own pockets and taking his time in their walk.

After a few minutes it became apparent to Zell that they were walking away from the Tournament zone, the icy field spanning out around them, and he tapped Squall on the shoulder. "Squall…"

"I know. Just keep going."

The continued to walk on for a few minutes, Zell suddenly beginning to feel very cold. His ears began to feel frosty, and he reached up to rub them. Placing his fingers in the canals, he found that he still wore the input/output devices, and he removed them, looking down at them in his hands.

He frowned. _Do they use them with other people? Or do they simply throw em away?_ He shrugged and placed them in his pants pocket. _Hell…they wont miss two. Besides, it'll be a good souvenir…_

They could see the ocean now, the waters frozen from the intense cold. It looked rather strange – the layer of ice looking like icing on a watery cake, the snow falling all around.

Zell was beginning to feel tired, his stomach starting to hurt. _She must have gotten to me more then I thought…_ he thought to himself as he felt another stabbing pain in the gut.

Squall suddenly stopped, Zell almost running into him. Squall turned, looking Zell straight in the eye. "Zell…who do you think the Assassin is?"

Zell blinked. "You made me walk all the way out here to ask me _that_?"

"We needed privacy. I don't trust anywhere in the Tournament Zone, and we've already seen how easy the Ragnarok can be compromised…plus with the bug in Shooting Star's cuffs…" Squall sighed. "I just can't trust any Galbadians right now."

"Ok…"

"So. Do you have any ideas?"

"Well, I know for sure that it's a man. Emily has called him a 'he' several times, and she knew things only the assassin would know."

"Right…so we know that he's male…anything else?"

Zell thought for a second. "Uhh…he's got access to high tech equipment. The voice scrambler, the denotation device for my place, the way he got into the Ragnarok…he's pretty well funded."

"Right…"

Zell watched as Squall rubbed his chin thoughtfully, and narrowed his eyes. "Who do you think it is?"

Squall looked up suddenly. "You might not believe this…but I think its…"

"Zell!!"

The two SeeDs turned to see President Justice drive up to them on a snow ski, his entourage of bodyguards following close behind. "You have to get back soon, the advancement announcements will need to be called out shortly."

Squall took a step forward. "How did you know we were here?" he asked suspiciously.

"Zell still has the input/output devices, I take it?" Justice asked innocently. Zell blinked, before reaching into his pocket and pulling the two earplugs out. "Yes, those ones. They have built in tracking devices, in case the fighter falls out of the fighting arena." Justice explained.

Squall looked down at the plugs, before looking back up at Justice. "We weren't told that Zell would be bugged."

"It's just a precaution, Mr. Leonheart, for the fighter's safety, and for regulations."

Squall paused…before nodding. "Fine. We'll be back in a minute."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Leonheart, but Zell needs to get back now." He turned to Zell. "You can ride with me, Zell. Hop on."

Zell took a step forward before pausing. "What about Squall?"

"Don't worry about me, Zell. I'll walk back." Squall said with a shrug.

"Are you sure, Mr. Leonheart? It's a long walk back."

"I know…I can take care of myself."

"As you wish…" The President of Galbadia gestured to the back of the ski, and Zell hopped on. He waved briefly to Squall, before they sped away.

Squall placed his hands in his pockets and began the long trudge back to the Tournament area.

*          *            *

"I have to say, Zell, I didn't think you'd come back after that little mix up in Centra." Justice said over the sound of the snow ski, the snow flying past their faces as they jumped another mound.

"Well, I've had a few days to think things over, Mr. President…and all my options led back to the tournament. So here I am." Zell shouted back.

"Zell…" The President seemed lost for words. "…What do you know about Blue magic?"

Zell didn't know where this was going, but decided to answer truthfully. "I know that each and every Blue user has their own unique Blue talents…I know that the magic is derived from monsters and is unlimited…and I know that their talents are unlocked when the Blue user uses any of their five sense to acknowledge the presence of a monster part." Zell frowned. "Why do you want to know, Mr. President?"

"Emily…she kissed one of the medical team. Jumped right on him before the rest of the team could force her off." Justice said, his voice harrowed. "They had been fully briefed on her special talents, but the man kissed by her thought he had enough time to get someone to draw that unique cure from her, much like you did." Justice lowered his head to the brunt of the snow. "His chest exploded and his head blew up exactly five minute after someone cast the magic on him."

Zell blinked. "What?!"

"Of course, the caster didn't nearly have the same kind of magical power as you do…you're casting was also on yourself, guaranteeing a longer relief from the effects of the magic…but ultimately, it seems you will share the same fate as the medic."

*          *            *

They arrived at the Tournament area, and Zell jumped off the snow ski and began to run for the medical tent.

"Zell! Wait!!" Justice screamed, but Zell was long gone.

Ripping the flap aside, horror burrowing through his skin and into his mind, Zell looked about to see a pair of pale bare feet on a table surrounded by doctors and nurses. He looked to his left, and saw the messy results of the Blue magic.

A pool of blood and internal organs, framed by a pair of legs and two arms, thrown out as if they were _blown apart_.

Zell turned his head away from his future fate, the disgust overwhelming, and he strode purposefully to the table.

The doctors and nurses all looked up as one. A doctor, needle and thread in hand, began to speak. "You're not supposed…"

Zell placed his gauntlet-covered hand on the edge of the table. "You're relieved." He growled. When they didn't respond, his hand flexed, crushing the heavy metal in a single squeeze. "Now!"

The doctors and nurses quickly fled the tent, leaving Zell and Emily alone.

Zell looked down at her. She lay on the table like a pale mannequin, save for two sheets to cover her breasts and organs. Her body was covered in scratches and bruises from the punishing that Zell had given to her…as well as other things.

Large scars adorned her torso, what seemed to be deep gashes, which looked sewn together by an unskilled hand. Not only that, arcane symbols were also scratched in – pentagrams, crosses, and several others that were foreign to Zell.

She opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Hello, Hunter…" she said slowly, as if it took all her strength just to talk. "I've been waiting…for you to come back…are you ready for you're answer now?"

Zell looked down at her. _Even in her state, she's still playing mind games. I have to be careful of what I say._ "The Disuna I drew from you…it didn't cure the Kiss of Death, did it." He stated carefully.

She shook her head, her jet-black hair playing out from where the doctors had tucked it back. "Nope…" she said with a smile. "It only prevented the inevitable."

Zell narrowed his eyes. _Now the big question…do I ask who our guy is, or do I find out how to cure myself?_

Justice walked into the room. "Zell! You can't just come in here, she needs her rest!!"

Zell looked at the President, he's mind a blur. _Shit! Now I have no choice! I can't reveal why we're really here, and he wont leave until I do!!_

He turned back to Emily. "Quick! Tell me how to cure myself!!

Emily smiled, lifting her arms and rubbing her stomach. "Too bad hunter…too bad…" she said, running her hands up her body seductively.

"Just tell me!"

"You need to survive the technique for exactly two days. After that, your body will have worked up a spiritual resistance to the poisonous magic. Until then, you'll have to cast Disuna on yourself or have someone of equal or greater power to cast Disuna on you every hour, on the hour – or else your head will blow up, and your heart will explode."

Zell narrowed his eyes. "Anything else I should know?"

She smiled happily. "It'll keep attacking your body until you work it out of your system…you wont be at your maximum strength for a few days." She giggled. "And if you want to find out more, you'll have to give me another kiss! But I'd advise against it."

"Why's that?"

"Because anybody infected with the magic will die the instant I kiss them again." She smiled a final time. "That's two questions you got for free, Sorceress Hunter, just because I love watching the worry on your cute face." Her smiled turned into a frown. "But don't expect to get anything else from me…unless you really wanna try?" She began to remove the towel on the lower part of her body, but Zell stopped her with a hand. "What's wrong, Hunter? Don't you wanna find out?" she asked, smirking with her black lips as she ran her pink tongue over them.

Zell bit his bottom lip and fought the impulse to put a fist through her smirk. _She's got me cold…_ "Damn you…" he muttered, before storming out, pushing past Justice easily.

Emily sighed and laid back on the table, before beginning to laugh, the sound carrying outside and stinging Zell's ears as he walked back to where the others were.

*          *            *

Back on the Ragnarok, Zell sat on the edge of his bed, his stomach beginning to hurt once more.

Damn her! Her whole strategy must have been in incapacitating me long enough to infect me with this damned illness! Now I'm in no position to fight or search for the Assassin!!

He began to cough violently, holding his hand to his mouth.

When he took it away, he saw blood staining his palm.

"Damn it!!" he growled, curling his hand into a fist, watching the blood ooze out from between his fingers.

The door opened, revealing Squall standing on the threshold. "How you feeling, Zell?" he asked quietly.

Zell looked up at him painfully and laid himself back on the bed wearily. "Weak as a day old kitten and feeling just as smart."

Squall walked further in and sat on the edge of the bed. "You didn't know that she could have done that. There's no point in blaming yourself."

Zell raised a hand and placed it on his face. "If I'm in here then I can't continue in the tournament. If I can't continue in the tournament, then there's no point in me being here. I'm screwed, Squall."

Squall looked down at his own hands. "So that's it. You're giving up." He smiled. "I thought you never gave up."

Zell smiled. "There's a difference between giving up and being unable to carry on, Squall. You should know that." He laughed out loud, but suddenly his chest began to hurt, and he coughed violently.

Squall turned, shocked, as Zell suddenly curled up into a ball, his coughing getting worse and worse. He stood and ran to the intercom system next to the door, switching it to broadcast on all the systems in the Ragnarok before slamming his fist onto the broadcast button. "Rinoa! Get over to Zells room right now!!"

Squall ran back to Zell, who had laid out straight now, every muscle in his body taut as he fought to keep his head and his heart intact, his body twitching with the strain.

"Must…focus…body…" Zell grunted through gritted teeth, sweat beginning to bead on his head.

Squall blinked, unable to think of anything to do, helpless as his friends writhed in agony.

Rinoa ran into the room, closely followed by Selphie and Irvine. "What is it?!" Rinoa asked as Squall grabbed her and dragged her over to Zell.

"He has a unique spell that can stop this, but he cannot cast it in his condition!"

"Way ahead of you…" Rinoa interrupted, pushing past Squall and placing her hands on Zell's chest. She blinked in surprise. "He's straining with every fibre in his body to keep together…he must be in agony." Frowning in concentration, she closed her eyes and drew the magic from his body into hers, before redirecting the magic back into him, her Sorceress powers boosting the magic's potency.

They all watched as the magic flowed through him, his body glowing a dull purple, before he finally relaxed, his breathing sporadic, sweat running down his face.

They all let out a breath of relief. Squall placed a hand on Rinoa's shoulder. "Stay with him. If he has a relapse, he'll need you by his side."

"Ok…" she said, placing her own hand on his.

Their eyes held for a second, before Squall turned and walked out, gesturing for Irvine and Selphie to follow.

The door slid shut silently, and Rinoa turned back to Zell, her eyes full of worry. "Oh, Zell…" she murmured, wiping some sweat form his brow. "…You poor thing…"

*          *            *

"What do we do now, Squall?" Irvine asked, taking a sip of the hot chocolate that the Ragnarok's drink maker had spewed out. "Without Zell in the tournament, there's no point in us staying. Our cover will really be blown then!"

Squall shrugged, sitting on the sofa with his arms crossed. "We have to stay in. Our objective may have changed, but we still have to make sure that the assassination doesn't go through."

Selphie pouted. "Who cares if Justice dies?! I mean, he's a nice guy and all, but there'll be another guy to fill his place! The only reason we decided to take the mission was because of Laguna! If he dies, there's no one to take his place!"

Squall frowned. "That has nothing to do with it, Selphie, and you know it. If Justice dies by the hand of this Assassin, there'll be international turmoil. The trust Galbadia and Esthar have been building over the last three years will be smashed in a single day, and another war will break out! In short, we simply can't allow Justice to die either!!"

She sighed. "Ok then…but what are we gonna do now? Zell can't continue in his condition, and we'll have to change location tomorrow!" She leaned forward. "Not only that, but have you heard? There's only five people left in the tournament, and there's gonna be a tally of the points they have been accumulating throughout the fights! The person with the less points will be kicked out!"

"I know, Selphie…" Squall said tiredly. "What's your point?"

"My point is, if Zell is sick, they might not have to tally up the point, hey? They might just kick him out on default and simply continue without him!" Selphie stood, her arms rigid by her sides, her voice heated wit emotion. "We can't let that happen! Zell would be destroyed if that happened!!"

"What do you want us to do, Selphie?" Irvine asked, sympathetically. "Send someone in as a replacement?"

"Don't be silly!"

"Then what?!" Squall asked, his voice agitated. "Do you want us to _force_ Zell to fight?!"

"We might have to."

Irvine and Squall looked at Selphie as if she had said she was a pixie from the moon. "You're crazy. He can't fight in the condition he's in!" Irvine exclaimed.

"No, wait…" Squall said, narrowing his eyes.

Irvine and Selphie turned to him. "What are you thinking, Squall?" Irvine asked slowly.

"Maybe…if we speak to Dr. Odine…" Squall said slowly, his mind running at blinding speed as he took in and rearranged the facts. "He's foremost in magic research, and the last I heard he's been researching Blue magic in a bid to find out where it comes from and how it's formed."

Selphie jumped up and down. "Then what are we waiting for!! Let's go right now!!"

Irvine jumped up with Selphie. "Good idea Squall! Let's move, Selphie! We can be up in the air and at Esthar in less the an hour if we leave right now!"

Squall sat there, his arms still crossed, not excited in the least. "Maybe we should think this over, however." He said slowly. "We ought to tread slowly around Odine…remember what he did with Ellone?"

Irvine stopped celebrating with a start. "Hey, yeah, you're right. He might try pick Zell apart, like he tried to do with Ellone!" He held up his fist. "But don't you worry, Squall. I'll guard Zell with my life!"

"Me too! Me too!" Selphie joined in.

Squall looked at the two of them, before standing. "Whatever…just don't blow up the place whilst you're there."

Irvine and Selphie hugged each other with glee as Squall left the room.

*          *            *

_"You want to do WHAT?!"_

"I'm sorry, Dr. Kadowaki, but it seems like a good idea."

"Squall…please, reconsider. The Garden is only one day away from Esthar. Fly over here and I'll treat Zell properly!"

"Doctor…no insult intended, but do you have much experience with Blue magic effects?"

_"…"_

"I thought so. Dr. Odine, although very unorthodox and not to be trusted, is the best in his field when it comes to magic research. He _has_ to have something on this kind of attack."

"Very well, Squall. But I'll ask you to reconsider one last time."

"I'm sorry doctor. It seems like the best thing to do in these circumstances."

"…Ok then. We'll see you in Esthar, Squall. I hope Zell is feeling better by then."

"So do I, Dr. Kadowaki…So do I."

*          *            *

When the Ragnarok touched down, Squall and Irvine walked out to meet thirteen Esthar guards, shotgun-blades drawn and ready. Irvine looked at Squall with worry in his eyes and loosened his shotgun shell pouch. Squall flicked the clip on his gun blade hilt off, but stepped forward.

"I need to see the President." He shouted over the dying whir of the Ragnarok's turbines.

A guard stepped forward. "The President isn't seeing anyone, sir. I would like to know how you acquired this ship, however."

"It was borrowed from the President, not a week and a half ago." Squall narrowed his eyes. "My name is Squall Leonheart, son of Laguna Loire. I need to see him now!"

"Nice bluff, son, but he's not seeing anybody." He saw the clip of Squall's gunblade hilt open, and stepped back slightly. "Sir, please come with us."

Squall grimaced, deciding to change tact. "Very well…but we have a very sick man on board. We need to see Dr. Odine in order to heal him."

The guard seemed wary. "First the President, then the doctor? Who are you?"

"I told you…"

"C'mon, Squall." Irvine said impatiently, stepping forward, his shotgun raised. "Let's just plow through em and go see Odine by ourselves."

Squall rolled his eyes as he saw the rest of the guards load their weapons. "Nice, Irvine…very nice."

The first guard stepped forward, his unique gunblade raised. "Sir! Please drop your weapons and come with us – "

His words were cut off as Squall suddenly drew the Lionheart, the blue energy blade flicking out with a 'shing'. With a single swipe the Estharian guard's weapon was neatly sliced in two, and Squall kicked him over effortlessly. He turned to Irvine. "Try to disarm or wound – do not kill!"

"Way ahead of you!" Irvine said, grinning manically as he lifted the shotgun and blew the weapons from two Estharian's hands. Flipping to the side, off the loading ramp, he cracked the shotgun open and reloaded calmly as bullets and shells whistled around his cover.

Squall was in amongst them, his blue energy blade flashing as he weaved in and out of the group, hands and limbs flying as his gunblade twisted and twirled, the Lionheart disabling five guards with ease.

Irvine leant out once more, picking off two more guards with ease. The open ground made it easy to aim and fire, as the guards had nothing to take cover behind.

There were only three guards left, and Squall turned to them with his gunblade held in one hand, pointing at them with the other. "Leave, now, and get these men medical attention! And when you do, run back to the President and tell him that we'll be at Odine's research laboratory!"

"We'll get you yet, boy!" One man yelled back as they ran for the main road.

"Whatever." Squall muttered as he placed the gunblade back in its holster, the blue blade flicking off as easily as turning off a light switch.


	20. Frozen In Time

Ch 20 – Frozen In Time

Squall turned to the ramp, looking up at Selphie and Rinoa. "Come on! They'll alert the authorities by the time we get him to Odine's!"

The girls nodded, before picking up the stretcher with an unconscious Zell on top and running down the ramp.

The way to Dr. Odine's laboratory was very strange – there were barely any Estharians on the usually-bustling walkways, all shades drawn, all shops closed, the lights on the sides of the roads powered down. It was like when Lunatic Pandora flew overhead – not a soul on the roads at all.

When they reached the lab, Squall ran up to the door and pressed the intercom dial.

The picture of Dr. Odine, a small man with a perchance for frilly costumes, flashed onto the vid-screen. His withered features looked frightened, as if he had seen a ghost. "The ZeeDs!!" He gasped, his funny accent coming out clearly through the intercom system. "Vat are you doingk here?"

"Dr. Odine, our friend Zell has become ill because of a magic virus. We need you to examine him."

Odine pulled himself closer to the screen. "Do you know vat haz been happening around here?" He muttered. "You are crazy pepol if you think I vill let you in!"

The intercom cut out with a demoralising whir, and Squall took a step back. Turning sharply, he walked back down the steps and past the others, moving into the middle of the blue road, looking all around him. "What's been going on around here?" he muttered to him, his hand to his chin.

"Squall!" Selphie cried, causing him to face her. "What do we do now?"

Squall set his jaw, thinking fast. _WE need to get Zell in there as soon as possible…but we also need to go and see Laguna…if not to explain what happened in the airfield, then to ask for sanction from the Galbadians. _ "First, we need to get in here no matter what. I'm sure that Odie is the only one that can cure him." he said, walking out of the open and up to the door, looking up at it's redness. "Drastic times…"

He waited until they all drew back, and withdrew his Lionheart, the blue blade shimmering into life. He took a few steps back, then ran forward, raising the gunblade high and bringing it down violently, the blade seeming to cut through the oxygen around it – 

To bounce harmlessly off the big red door. Squall rebounded off the door effortlessly, landing in a crouch – before looking down at his gunblade with amazement. He blinked, before standing again and running for ward once more, bringing the blade back down on the door – to be rejected once more.

He walked backwards, before raising the gunblade up, pointing it at the door. "Irvine!" he called, the marksman running up to him. "I want you to give this door everything you've got."

"Right." Irvine said, snapping his double-barrel open and catching the two normal shells, placing them in their pouches before opening another. "A few Demolition Rounds ought to do it…" he muttered, slamming the destructive bullets into the chamber before swinging the big barrels up into the stock. "And your pulse Ammo ought to do something."

"Right." Squall said, grasping hold of the gunblade's handle with both hands. "Fire!"

They both unloaded on the door, Irvine's Demolition Ammo exploding brilliantly against the red metal, Squall's pulse ammo booming alongside the Demolition rounds, the very building rocking on it's foundations as the door received the biggest pounding of it's life.

Irvine cracked open the shotgun and fed two new shells in as Squall continued the relentless assault. Snapping the gun closed, he felt a presence next to him – and turned to see Selphie standing next to him, holding her hands up. Irvine smiled, and turned back to the door, unloading his shotgun at it again.

Selphie placed two hands in front of her and closed her eyes, whispering to herself as the power grew within, building up to an immense force. Squall turned, wide eyed, as he saw Selphie begin to glow a vivid red, and he grabbed Irvine and pulled him out of the way as Selphie released the Flare attack.

Her little boots dug into the pavement as the flare attack blasted from her hands, screaming towards the door with all the force and power of a Red Dragon with it's tail frozen. It smashed into the wall with a shattering boom, the area around it exploding fiercely, the walls around the door crumbling to dust as the attack finalised with one last sonic boom, knocking everyone over within a one-mile radius.

Selphie lowered her arms, her breath coming out in short gasps, and turned to the group covering behind the sign just next tot the steps. "Too much?" she asked, a goofy smile on her face.

Squall watched as the dust faded, revealing a still standing door surrounded by reinforced walls. "Too little."

Rinoa looked down at Zell, who had woken up from all the noise. "  
What are we going to do, Squall?" she said, looking up to him. "I've only got seven of these Disunas left. Zell wont be able to hold out much longer."

"We have to get him in there…" Squall said through gritted teeth, looking at the building with red swimming in his vision. "An Ultima technique would most likely do it…but it would also level most of the building as well." He blew out his breath in frustration. "C'mon, Squall, think!"

He heard Rinoa gasp, but felt Zell's hand as he placed it on Squall's shoulder. Squall turned his head, wide eyed, to see Zell up and walking, his face etched in pain as he stood by Squall, barely able to support his own weight. "Looks…like its up to…Zell to save…the day once more, Squall." He said with a pained smile. "Only…my legs aren't working very well…you reckon you could…give me a hand?"

Squall blinked once more, before placing his arm around Zell in support, Irvine coming up to take the other arm.

"Just walk me up to the door…fellas…I'll do the rest."

They did as he requested, moving him up to the door. His grimace of pain grew worse with every step they took, but when they got to the door he smiled. "I've…been thinking of…a name for this…technique…tell me what you think…of it."

Selphie ran up the steps, tugging on Squall's sleeve. "Squall! We have, like, the whole Estharian army coming after us!"

Squall left Zell to Irvine, running out to see a stream of soldiers running towards them, their massive numbers barely held by the blue road. He looked down to see Rinoa standing in the middle of the road, her face set and determined. He looked down at Selphie. "Rinoa will handle them."

*          *            *

Rinoa lifted her arms, spreading the finger on her hands, feeling the power grow within her, feeling it flood her body, feeling it seep into every pore of her body. She closed her eyes and screamed, bringing her arms down violently, the wings blowing out of her back faster then anybody had seen them sprout before.

The road beneath her suddenly expanded, a giant crater crunching out from beneath her as her energy levels reached their peaks, and she floated up slightly, her massive white wings slashing out and beating forcefully, keeping her airborne effortlessly.

Her eyes opened, the calm blue now replaced by a smoking white light as she frowned. The mass of soldiers running before her began to hesitate, the sprint slowing into a run, the run slowing into a jog, and whispers began to ripple through the crowd as they saw the magical angel hover before them.

Rinoa raised her hand, a slender finger pointing at the crowd of soldiers. _You will go no further._ She pulsed, before lifting her head to look up at the sky.

Setting her arms by her sides, balling her tiny fists, she opened her mouth and screamed, the shrill deafening siren's call shattering the soldier's visors and any reflective surface within the city limits. The sound seemed to reverberate around as the SeeD's behind her covered their ears painfully, Zell fighting desperately to stay awake as the magic assaulted his weakened body.

The soldiers rolled around in agony, the scream deafening the lucky few who still retained some modicum of sanity – before everything stopped.

Lowering to the ground with a single flap of her wings, Rinoa smiled at her handy work, crossing her arms. She had managed to Stop the _entire Estharian Army._

Turning to her friends, she walked/floated amongst them, touching them and allowing them to move once more.

Zell looked up at her as she released his muscles from the atrophy and smiled. "Don't…ever do that…again…"

She smiled down at him and placed a hand on his sweating brow. _I'll try not to._She pulsed.

Smiling at the joke, Zell managed to pick himself up. "Now…you'll see…why they call me…Machine Gun Dincht…"

His vision swimming, he placed a hand on the door, his bare palm feeling the metal still cooling from the Flare attack. Setting his feet apart, he tensed every muscle in his body, allowing the resulting friction to build up, until he released it with a single palm press to the door. Letting his hand drop, he fell into Squall's arms, looking up to him, gasping at the strain of performing the attack. "Get away…from the door…now!!"

"Run!" Squall yelled as he watched the door tremble, and they all ran back to the safety of the road as the door suddenly exploded, the metal and reinforced Lunar Crystals blasting everywhere as the door simply could not withstand the massive vibrations Zell had sent through it.

Everybody looked down at Zell as he began to laugh, his pained chuckles even creating a smile on Squall's face. "Ok, Zell…" he said, the grin growing wider. "How'd you do that?"

"If I told you…I'd have to kill…" The joke was quickly squashed as Zell grimaced, balling himself up once more as the virus attacked his system again.

"Come on! We have to get him inside now!!" Squall shouted, taking lead of the situation once more. He walked up to Rinoa, who held Zell's head in her hands. "Cast that magic on him again and we'll move him. We can't move him like that."

She looked up at him with her glowing white eyes. _I can't cast cure magic on him like this, Squall. The shock alone will kill him._

"Then pass the magic onto Selphie and let her cast it. Irvine and I are going to go find Laguna – something's not right in Esthar."

Rinoa nodded, beckoning for Selphie to sit next to her as Squall grabbed Irvine and began to push their way through the frozen ranks of Esthar's finest.

*          *            *

Now sleeping, Selphie ran before Rinoa to check the area as Rinoa cast float on Zell's stretcher, his body followed closely by the flapping wings of Rinoa. Moving into the main antechamber, Rinoa turned back to the shattered doorway, rasing a hand.

The door seemed to rewind, picking itself up off the floor and slotting itself back into it's frame. The cracks were still there- but when the Esthar soldiers broke from their Stop, this would be the first place they come, and the door would at least slow them down.

Turning around, she saw Selphie jumping up and down on the floating device. "Come on!" She yelled at it. "Go already!!"

_It's probably been disabled by Dr. Odine._ Rinoa pulsed, looking up at the narrow tube where the device disappeared to. _I'll go persuade the good doctor to open the door._

Flapping her wings only twice was all she needed to fly up into the tube, following it through into the doctor's study. Landing – well, landing on thin air – she saw the doctor cowering behind a piece of machinery.

Moving forward slowly, she waved her hand at the block of computer, the heavy metal shearing clean in two by her massive magic levels. She floated over to him and placed a hand on his forehead, freeing him from his physical prison. The doctor fell away from the now torn machinery, scuttling back into a corner, whimpering to himself as she floated closer. _What's wrong, doctor?_ She pulsed malevolently, stopping just before him, her piercing white gaze boring holes into his mind. _You've studied my kind for years. You shouldn't be afraid._

"I'm not afraid of you…" He said. "I'm afraid of vat will be following you. Ultimeica…the destroyer of our vorld…"

Rinoa narrowed her glowing eyes, before beckoned for the door below. _My friend needs your help. Will you help him?_

Odine looked up at her, his frilly collar seeming to make his head looked three times too small for his body – and twice as frightened.

_Allow me to rephrase. You – _will - _help him._

*          *            *

Finally reaching the Presidential palace after moving through thousands of frozen warriors, Squall stepped onto the elevator going up, Irvine jumping on after him.

Two other people accompanied them. A woman and a man, seeming to have been talking as the gigantic wave of Stop magic flowed through the city. The woman was blushing shyly, smiling down at her shoes as the man grinned down at her, one hand placed confidently above her head.

Irvine looked at them with mild amusement. He took a step forward – before feeling a hand on his shoulder.

He turned his head to look at Squall, who shook his head at him. "Awe, come on, Squall!" Irvine protested.

"No."

Irvine stepped back behind Squall, jamming his hands into his pockets, pouting.

They stood like that for a minute, the silence building, before Squall sighed. "Fine. You get the woman, I'll move the man."

When they stepped off the elevator, the woman had her arms around the man's neck, drawing him down into a passionate kiss. The man had his hand delved into the folds of the woman's robes, the woman's legs spread slightly apart.

Squall and Irvine were grinning as they walked out.

*          *            *

They walked into the offices of the Presidential suite, moving right past the frozen sentries and into Laguna's secretary's room.

Squall moved right past the frozen girl, but Irvine paused at her, sitting himself on the desk and looked down at her with a weird grin on his face. She seemed to be answering a telephone call. He decided to strike up a conversation. "So, what's it like working for Laguna? Bummer huh? What are you gonna do after this whole fiasco? Me? Oh, I'm probably going to go find a quiet place and puke my guts out." He paused to look down a revealing fold in her robe. "…The quiet type, huh? I like that in a mannequin…"

Squall ignored Irvine's sick sense of humour, opening the double doors of the President's offices to find Laguna, Ward and Kiro's all sitting at Laguna's desk. Laguna seemed to be waiting for something, his hand folded in his lap. Kiros had been speaking, his mouth open, his hands up to gesture something. Ward seemed to be asleep.

Squall walked up to Laguna and placed a hand on his father's shoulder.

Laguna blinked, looking up from the funk he had been in. "The point is, Kiros, that the Tournament will be a great asset to Esthar's trade and national ties!" He blinked again, looked at the frozen Kiros. "K-Kiros?" He looked at Ward. "W-Ward?"

"Hello, father."

"Oh Hyne!" Laguna said with a start, jumping out of his chair as he turned with shocked surprise to see his son standing behind him. He recovered his wits quickly. "Uh…quick, Squall! Call the guards! Kiros and Ward have been frozen!!"

Squall rolled his eyes. "Laguna, _we_ froze them."

"We? What, do you have a chicobo in your pocket?"

Squall slammed his palm into his face. "Aiyaaa, what did I do to deserve this…" He muttered to himself.

Laguna scratched his scalp, looking at his two best friends, before smiling wickedly. "Hey, you know what would be _great_ fun?"

*          *            *

Odine looked over the supine Zell, with Selphie standing by Zell's head to watch for any change in his condition. Odine held a small wand in his hand, which beeped every now and then when he passed it over a certain body part.

Rinoa, her Sorceress powers now repressed, leaned over the small doctor, looking over him at the instrument in his hand. "What's that thingy?" she asked.

Dr. Odine snorted. "Zis 'thingy', my dear, meazures the magic levels in your friendz body!" He waved it over Zell's chest, where the beeping became more sporadic. "Zee? Your friend has a large build up of magic in hiz chest right now!"

"Well, how do you know it's working?"

The little man snorted once more, before turning and pointing the device at Rinoa. The beeps suddenly became a shrill howl, before the instrument exploded in a small puff of smoke. "Zat iz how I know it iz vorking." He muttered triumphantly.

Rinoa rolled her eyes and grabbed him by his frilly collar. "Now look here, you little freak, we need you to fix Zell! Now we know that you've been doing lots of blue magic research recently, so tell us what to do!"

Dr. Odine looked up at her with fear in his eyes. "Y-you need to tell me everyzing that haz happened to him…how he acquired the magical virus, vat you know abut it…everyzing."

Rinoa slammed the doctor down into the chair he had been sitting in and looked over at Selphie. "You tell him." She said, her voice disgusted as she turned and walked away.

Selphie began to account what Zell had told them when he had returned to the Ragnarok, including what the Blue was called, how it worked, and how it was supposed to be cured. Odine listened intently, not saying a word until Selphie was finished.

He looked up at her. "Zat's it?"

"'Zat's it'." she mimicked.

"But…but…where did you get ze Disuna?! Where iz ze girl who kissed Zell?!"

"She's probably back at Trabia, being treated by the medics."

Odine slammed a fist into his palm. "If ve had ze girl, I could cure hiz ailment in a flash…but no matter. Ve vill find another vay."

"How?" Selphie asked.

"You carry wizin you a portion of ze magic which you've been healing Zell with, ya?"

"Ya…I mean, yes."

"Zen all ve need to do is boost ze magic to an appropriate level, in order to vash his insides clean!"

"Like using antibiotics to kill a cold?" Rinoa asked, walking back to them.

"Egzactly! No, not egzactly…it vould be more like making a person drink acid…it vould clean you out but leave you hollow inzide."

"What the hell does that mean?" Selphie said, aggravated by his accent and his riddles.

"It means that I vill need to borrow one of your unique spellz, yes I vould." The doctor said with a nod.

"Hang on." Rinoa said. "If we give you one of these spells, we'll only be left with five. I don't know how long Zell will be able to hold off this virus by himself, but he wont be able to hold on for long!"

"Don't vorry, don't vorry…" Odine said with a wave of his hand. "Just zimply Ztop him, like you did vith all the soldiers outside!"

"Hey, the quack's right!" Selphie exclaimed. "All we need to do is Stop him! That way the virus will be arrested too!!"

"Stop magic only ever lasts for a certain period of time, Selphie." Rinoa said sadly. "At the max, I've ever held a Stop for about five hours. Any time after that, the body can begin to develop rigor mortis, which can be very painful. And besides, how do we know that the Stop will stop the magic?"

"You don't." Odine said bluntly. "But you may az vell try. You only have zix spells left. They'll run out eventually. At least, zis way, you vill prolong the effects until tomorrow. By zat time I ought to have worked out zomething."

Selphie got up and moved around the table, pushing her pretty features into Odine's face. "You better have, you old quack, or you'll be wearing that silly frock all the way to hell!"

Rinoa placed a hand on Selphie's shoulder. "Come on, Selphie. Let's go see how the boys are doing." She looked up to Odine. "We're leaving him in your hands now. I'll be back in an hour or so. And if anything happens to him, I'll hold you responsible, understand?"

Odine nodded manically, and Rinoa accepted it as the truth. Walking over to Zell, she wiped some sweat from his brow. "We'll be back later, ok Zell?"

Zell opened his eyes painfully. "Take…your time…I'm…not going…anywhere…"

Rinoa smiled and closed her eyes, muttering the word under her breath. When she opened them, she saw that Zell had closed his eyes once more, every feature on his pained face frozen. He almost looked like he was asleep.

Selphie walked over to Odine and placed her hand on his arm, transferring the Disuna to him. "Don't waste that." She muttered, and walked out of the room, closely followed by Rinoa.

Odine watched them go, before heaving a huge sigh of relief. He looked down a the frozen Zell with a mixture of contempt and anger, before walking to one of many work stations and pulling it to cover Zell's body, flicking it on. The monitor showed the magical flow in Zell's body, and Odine began to get to work.

*          *            *

Irvine, tired of looking down the secretary's robes and talking to himself, barged into the Presidential offices. "Hey, Squall, can we hurry up? I'm startin' to get a bit hun…"

His voice petered off as he stepped inside the room to see Laguna and Squall standing back to admire their work.

Ward had been pulled from his chair and stood on his hands, his beefy arms seeming to hold his weight. Kiros had also been picked up, and was grasping Ward's legs, as if to help him with his handstand…or shake everything from the bigger man's pockets.

Laguna was holding onto his sides, tears running down his face with laughter. Squall stood next to his father, his arms crossed, a big smile on his face as he shook his head at his own juvenile actions.

"Squall!?" Irvine exclaimed. "We don't have time to be playing around!!"

Squall turned to Irvine. "What? You didn't complain when we did it in the elevator."

Irvine rolled his eyes and was about to speak when Rinoa and Selphie walked into the room, blushing from what they had seen in the elevator up. The looks they had when they saw the boys, however, were that of a pair of disappointed mothers. Rinoa placed her hands on her hips and simply shook her head. "Oh, Squall…"

Selphie simply walked up to Irvine and grabbed his coat, dragging him outside, his pitiful protests falling on deaf ears.

Laguna finally wiped the tears from his eyes and stood upright. "Oh…that is gold." He turned to Rinoa and frowned for a second. "You're…Squalls girlfriend, right! The Sorceress!!"

Rinoa placed a finger on her bottom lip as she pretended to think. "Saviour of the world…yep, that's me!"

"You been taking care of my boy?"

"Very much so, sir!"

"Good girl."

Squall rolled his eyes and walked up to Rinoa. "Rinoa…what did you do with Zell?"

"I froze him and left him with Dr. Odine. He needs to run a few tests before he can figure out what to do next."

Laguna frowned. "I never liked that guy…his accent gives me the heebie-jeebies. But he's the very best in magic research. You can go past him with that. As long as he doesn't try to dissect Zell, or anything, he ought to be fine."

"Which brings us to the topic at hand, father." Squall said, turning to his dad with a stern look on his face. "What's happened to Esthar? We come in here on the Ragnarok, and we get accosted by some Esthar grunts who don't even know who we are!! Not only that, but the whole place looks deserted! What's happened?"

Laguna sighed, moving around the humorous state of his friends and sitting down in his chair behind his desk. "It's the Estharian people. They don't like having foreigners in the city."

Squall moved to the chair that Kiros had occupied and sat down, Rinoa moving to sit in his lap. "But I thought you guys were working on that…accepting refugees, trading with Galbadia…"

"We have been! But only on a miniscule scale." The President of Esthar leaned back in his chair, placing his feet on his desk. "The Estharian people have been getting restless with the Tournament being held in the Great Plains. It's too close to the city and most of the research facilities. I mean, we have guards and things, but there is obviously a few more people that are feeling apprehensive about having foreigners coming in."

Squall shook his head. "But that's just stupid. Reaching out to other countries might be great for Esthar."

"Squall, look at what we've accomplished by ourselves! They're jus afraid of what might happen if we do have people coming in, trading theirs for ours…it's a scary thought, once you think about it."

"Yeah, I suppose…" Squall muttered, pulling Rinoa close, running a finger around her belly button in thought.

Laguna sighed, looking at Squall wistfully. "You look like your mother when you get that look. She was so serious sometimes…" He looked down at his hands. "I wish…I wish…"

"Father…don't worry about it. It's in the past."

"I know…its just…" he sighed again, before shaking his head. "You can have all you need. You're welcome to stay in the Presidential suite for the duration of the Tournament in Esthar. I'll put out a public message explaining why you're here and who you are. People will remember."

"Thank you." Squall patted Rinoa's stomach, and she stood up, Squall standing too. "We've got to go see hoe Zell's doing now."

Laguna stood, looking at Ward and Kiros. "Uhh…what about these guys?"

"The spell I cast should only last for about another hour." Rinoa explained. "They'll be fine."

"Ok…" Laguna stood there, hands in pockets, seeming to be thinking about something before frowning. "Ah, what the hell. I'll come with you to Odines. As much as I hate the little freak, I want to make sure that he's treating Zell right."

Squall nodded, before leading Rinoa out.

Laguna walked around the desk to follow them, before stopping beside Ward and Kiros. A sudden bout of sympathy hitting him, he grabbed Ward's legs and slowly lowered him to the floor. He didn't want him to land on his head when the spell wore off.

That done, he ran outside. "Hey, guys, wait up!"

*          *            *

_Hey there, readers!!_

_Only five fighters left in the tournament…will Zell get into the finals? Or will the judges cast him aside as a lost cause? You'll have to keep reading to find out!!_

_God I'm such a bastard to do these things to poor Zell…but you love it._


	21. A Cure Acquired

Ch 21 – A Cure Acquired??

Dr. Odine opened the machine just as Rinoa, Squall and Laguna walked through the door. He turned to see them walk in, immediately bowing to Laguna. "Mr. Prezident…" he said, performing the bow expertly.

Laguna looked down at him, allowing him to hold the painful position for just a little longer then necessary, before nodding. "Dr. Odine. How is the patient?"

"I have found something remarkable in zis boy…" Odine said excitedly, turning and tapping some commands into the screen of the machine, a little display coming up. "Do you zee thiz graph?" He asked, pointing to a small scale.

Colourful and wavy, it was punctuated by meaningless statistics and lines of data. Squall, Rinoa and Laguna all bent over to look at it, each with an equally confused look on their face. "Yeah, well whoop-dee shit." Laguna muttered, not bothering to tap dance around Odine's riddles. "What the hell does that mean?"

Odine pouted, before tapping a command into the screen, talking whilst working. "That waz the normal paramagical zcale for a normal human beingk, you , me, anybody, right?" He finally pressed a button, bringing up a different screen. "This is the boyz paramagical zcale."

The graph fluxuated randomly, the pretty colours more vivid then the first graph, the wavy lines almost taking up the entire screen. The graph seemed to move on it's own, as if it had a life of it's own. Rinoa looked at it with mild curiosity. "Pretty…"

"Don't you see vat this meanz?" Odine said excitedly, balling his withered fists and hopping from foot to foot. "This boy'z magical essence is feeding ze virus! In order for ze boy to survive, he needz to naturally increaze hiz magical output, and zat only feedz ze virus more! If ze girl who tranzmitted ze virus iz correct, then ze virus diez only ven it eatz zo much energy it simply cannot survive by itzelf!"

Squall rolled his eyes. "Meaning?"

"Meaning zat all you need to do iz take away his magical energiez, and ze virus ought to starve before ze end of tomorrow!!"

Squall narrowed his eyes. "The tournament will be tallying the separate fighter's points tomorrow…Zell will most probably need to be there in order to represent himself. Having someone else take his place wouldn't look good in the judge's eyes. Would he be able to be there?"

"Of courze!" Odine said, moving over to a small table. Lifting a gadget from it, he scuttled back to the small group. "Here, make him vear this!"

Squall took the invention from Odine's hands, turning it over in his own. He frowned. "It looks like a wristwatch…"

Rinoa's eyes widened. "I know what that is! That's a power compressor! Remember Squall! I tried to make Edea wear it back in Deling! Remember!?"

Squall narrowed his eyes, thinking back three years…before widening them. "Hey, that's right!"

"Yes…ze prototype of zat gadget was made a good few yearz ago…zat'z ze latest model."

"How does it work?" Laguna asked, taking it from Squall and holding it up to the light, as if it would make it more appealing of shed more light on what it did.

Odine smiled, placing his hands on his hips as he began to launch into a massive speech regarding the mechanics of the little machine. "Bazically, it takez ze person's magic and sqvashes it down into a little ball, and zen tranzportez it into zat device, vich zen…"

Squall grabbed it off Laguna and walked over to Zell. "Who cares how it works, as long as it works." Pulling the machine open, he looked down at Zell, who looked like he was sleeping.

"Hey! Zat's very dangerous, young man! Vatch vat you're doingk around zere!!" Odine protested meekly, but Rinoa simply tapped him on the shoulder, quickly stabbing some magic into him.

"Just shut up." She muttered, the Silence magic doing the trick.

As Odine ranted and raved silently, Squall placed his hand over Zell's chest, feeling his Dispel magic melt the Stop away, until Zell was breathing on his own accord. Zell opened his eyes painfully, feebly reaching up with a hand to claw at his chest.

The magic was attacking him already! Squall quickly grabbed Zell's left hand and slapped the device on. Turning it so the face faced him, he frowned. "How do I activate it?"

Everybody except for Zell turned to look at Odine, who looked at them silently.

Squall rolled his eyes and looked back down at Zell. His pitiful clawing was getting weaker and weaker. "Screw it…" he muttered, taking the watch-like device and simply pressing any button.

There was a small whir, and the device immediately clamped tight around Zell's wrist, before glowing a dull green. There was a noise like a vacuum cleaner, and Zell arched his back as light flashed form his eyes, nose and mouth, his body tensing to incredible extremes as every single magic spell and property was drawn from his body and stored in the tiny watch.

Squall stepped back as Zell uttered a dry choking noise, the effects of the device winding down, until the watch emitted a loud beep and Zell relaxed, his body hitting the hard table with a thump.

Laguna, Squall and Rinoa ran to his side, all looking down at his for any sign of life. Laguna checked his pulse, pressing two fingers to Zell's throat. "He's…he's got a pulse…and it's strong!"

"He's not sweating anymore…" Rinoa whispered, clutching Squall's arm with breathless excitement. "He's completely relaxed…he's…"

"He's asleep." Squall stated, standing up straight and facing the little doctor. "It looks like your device worked, Odine. You'd better hope it keeps working." He placed a hand on Laguna's shoulder and looked him in the eye. "Zell will most probably need to rest here for a while…is that ok?"

"Of course, Squall." Laguna said immediately, ignoring Odine tugging on his sleeve. "When he feels stronger we'll move him to the Presidential Suite."

"That's great…I suppose we'd better go get some rest too…" Squall said, taking Rinoa's hand. "We'll find Selphie and Irvine and return to the Ragnarok. Your soldiers ought to be unfrozen in another half-an-hour. We'll stay in the Ragnarok until Zell awakens, then move him back in there."

Laguna placed his hand in his pockets. "Well…you don't need to stay in the Ragnarok, you know…you can stay in the Presidential Suite too…"

Father and son locked eyes for a second, a battle of wills as one weighed up the options of the other. Squall, obviously, still had doubts about the relationship between them – Laguna wanted to open up more to his son. The opportunity to stay, basically, in the lap of luxury until the tournament came around was an opportunity too good to pass – but Squall's stubbornness was still a factor in his decision-making.

"Thanks for the offer, Laguna…" Squall said slowly. "…But we'll decline."

Rinoa looked up at him. "Why?"

Squall blinked and looked down at her. The brutal innocence of the single synonym assaulted his composure as much as it would have if Laguna had had the guts to ask. Squall had to fight for words. "Because…because we wouldn't want to be in Laguna's way…"

"Oh, come on! It'll be fun. I haven't been waited on hand and foot since I left Daddy."

Squall shrugged and sighed. "Well…I suppose we'll take up the offer after all, Laguna."

Laguna's smile could have blinded them with wattage if it was light bulb. "Excellent…I'll have rooms made up for all of you immediately." He reached down into his pocket and removed a small hand-held unit, pressing series of buttons and holding it up to his ear. "Sara? Hello? Can you hear me?"

He suddenly realised that everybody was still frozen, and blinked several times before slowly closing the unit and replacing it from where he pulled it. "…I suppose the rooms will be ready in a little while…how about we go for a walk instead?"

Squall shrugged. "Whatever."

Laguna frowned at the remark, a little confused, before shrugging. "…Ok then. Follow me."

*          *            *

_Zell was in a world of hurt, frozen in time, his body stuck in perpetual hurt._

_Suddenly, the frozen sting succumbed to a moving pain, which was an extreme relief – for a few minutes. Then the frozen hurt felt like a mild headache compared to the throbbing agony his chest began to emanate._

_It was like each beat of his heart brought about it's own end – like a bubble being blown up too much, it felt like it could burst at any moment – and the pain was excruciating._

_He tried to fight it like he normally would, by simply willing his heart to slow, reduce the shuddering pounds in his chest to an almost bearable throb – but you can only slow your heart down for so long, and he knew that he was losing the fight._

_His fingers clawing at his shirt, he tried to fight the pain physically – he wanted to rip his heart out and throw it as far away from him as possible, anything to stop the maddening pain – but suddenly someone grabbed his arm and placed something on his wrist._

_Then his heart pain was a mere scratch compared to the undeniable agony his body endured as every scrap of magic within him was rudely torn away and placed somewhere where he couldn't reach it._

_Good part was, the original maddening, relentless pain was torn away as well – and his body screamed relief, every muscle seeming to relax simultaneously. Bad part was the rape of his soul, the rude tearing of his magical defences, made him feel less then safe._

_It made him feel naked, cold, alone._

_"Anybody! Ifrit? Siren! Answer me!!" he screamed mentally, trying to find the comfortable warmth of Ifrit, the duel-hijinx of the Brothers Sacred and Minotaur, the silent assurance of Siren, and even the sarcastic tones of the Gravity god, Diablos._

_His wrist felt heavy, and he could only just faintly feel his symbiotic counterparts rudely locked away inside whatever had sucked the essence from his soul – and they were screaming._

*          *            *

Selphie looked down on Zell as he slept fitfully in his comfortable bed in the Presidential Suite. The Estharian medics who had deposited him bowed to her and departed, but she didn't hear them leave as they walked out.

She sat down and placed a hand on his forehead, checking it's temperature. What had been a burning brow just last afternoon was now only a normal feeling forehead. His fever had reduced greatly, and the rock-hard tension within his muscles that had been there almost constantly had all but vanished. He simply slept the sleep of one who deserved a good rest, and _boy_ did he deserve it.

She looked up to see Irvine and Quistis walk into the room, the door sliding shut silently behind them. The Garden had just gotten to Esthar, the patent Garden Ramp that FH had built on the west side of the Esthar continent making access to the cliff surrounded more easy.

"Hiya Quistis!" Selphie said, standing up. "I haven't seen you in a couple of days."

Quistis smiled. "From what I hear, you've been busy!" She looked down on Zell, still sleeping, even though they were talking at normal volume. "How's he been?"

"He had some 'touch and go' time this morning…" Irvine said. "…But with that doohickey on his wrist, he ought to be alright by about midday."

"Hmmph…" Quistis grunted, nodding and crossing her arms. Even though she didn't like to admit it, she had always tried to be the 'sister' figure to the others, ever since Ellone left the orphanage. Helping with homework, playing with them when they were lonely, helping them out with personal issues, that kind of thing. With her recent upgrade to Sub-Commander, however, her sisterly duties had taken a back seat as she burrowed into her work, not letting any social activities affect her running of the Garden whenever Squall was on a mission.

"So how've you been?" Irvine asked, placing a hand on his hip, resting his shotgun on his shoulder. "The Garden running ok?"

Quistis smiled. "It's harder then you think, running the Garden. I still have no idea how Squall can do it and still have time to train, instruct _and_ have a relationship with Rinoa."

Selphie shrugged. "Meh…maybe he's better with handling the stress then you…" She quickly shut her mouth as Quistis got the 'kiss my ass' look on her face.

Irvine quickly jumped in to save his girl. "What she _meant_ to say was that Squall is most probably more used to the job then you. It's big responsibility to run the _entire_ Garden, almost all by yourself."

"Yeah…I suppose it is…" Quistis muttered, her ego slightly taking over, before looking down at Zell once more. She crouched next to him and ran hand caringly over his forehead. "Get well soon, Zell…" She whispered, before standing and leaving the room.

Selphie and Irvine watched her go – before Selphie almost collapsed with embarrassment, sitting on the side of Zell's bed and holding her hands to her mouth. "Oh my Hyne, that was so rude of me…Quisits must think I'm a real bitch now…" she whispered to herself, horrified at her remark.

Irvine crouched before her and took her hands away from her face, holding them up to his and kissing them gently. "She knows you didn't mean what you said…and anyways, it's most probably right. She does need to loosen up on the working…or she'll wind up like Squall did…attacking everybody who cares about her, either physically or verbally."

"Maybe…" Selphie whispered. "…Btu I cant feel a bit sad for her. I mean, she doesn't even try to get a boyfriend, and apart from the Trepies and us she has _no_ friends…she just seems so lonely…"

"It's not our concern, baby. She's a big girl. She'll figure it out sooner or later." He shuffled a little closer, grasping the back of her head. "I've been waiting all morning to do this, you know…"

He pressed his lips to hers, their tongues flicking together as they kissed passionately. Selphie shifted a little forward, beginning to take control – and like most things, she began to shift into overdrive, scrabbling at Irvine's silk shirt with one hand, grasping his other with her other hand and pushing it up – 

"Hyne…get a room, will you guys?"

They both jumped at the sound of Zell's voice as he opened his eyes and took in the scene before him. Selphie blushed a white-hot and scuttled out of the room as fast as her little legs could carry her, but Irvine managed to compose himself a little. "Uh…sorry about that, dude."

"No worries. Just make sure you give her one for me." Zell said as he winked up at the tall Galbadian.

Irvine looked down at his friend – before pulling a face. "Dude, gross…" he muttered, before leaving the room.

Zell chuckled and placed his hands behind his head, the fact that he was feeling a _hell_ of a lot better then he had just a few hours ago feeling more relieving then anything.

It was only after he managed to successfully erase the image of Selphie and Irvine beginning to make out did he realise that his surroundings had changed considerably. Gone was the deserted Esthar roads, or the inside of Dr. Odine's laboratory. The walls were a gentle blue, much like the one in the Balamb Hotel – but the Balamb Hotel didn't have such good stuff inside it. The drawer beside the bed looked like it would have cost Zell a few billion years and a trillion successful missions to acquire, and he didn't even want to know how much the sheets cost. Sitting up in bed, he looked around. "…Where the hell am I…?" he muttered to himself.

He suddenly realised that his mouth felt dryer then an Abyss Worm, and he threw the expensive bed sheets off his body and swung his legs over the side, standing confidently…before falling to the floor in a heap.

"Ow…I guess I have a little more resting…" he muttered to the carpet, before pulling himself up into a sitting position.

He had no idea why, but he felt really, really empty inside, like someone had pulled out his lungs and most of his internal organs. _I'm hungry…that's it. The virus must've made me really, really hungry. Whichever hotel this place is, I hope they have room service._

But, for the moment, he would fend for himself. He wasn't invalid…yet.

Pulling himself to his feet once more, he gripped the wall, using it as a support in order to make his way to a delicately carved wooden door, one that actually swung, as opposed to the ones which slid open.

Fumbling with the doorknob, he realised it took almost all his power to twist the round knob, which shocked him a little. _I managed to bust down Dr. Odine's door…but a door knob defeats me? What's going on…?_

Shaking his head, he opened the door and walked into a bathroom. "Oh, thank Hyne a million times…" he muttered to himself as he spied the toilet.

After doing his business, he managed to move to the basin and wash his hands, before cupping them and sipping the water slowly, swilling it in his mouth before swallowing small amounts. He didn't want to strain himself. He had no idea how long he had been out.

Looking up he caught his reflection in the mirror, and saw the five-o-clock shadow that had grown. It startled him a bit, as he usually was clean-shaven. The bristles around the bottom of his face made him feel somehow dirty. Squinting, he looked at himself in the reflection. _Nope…nothing out of the ordinary…_ He opened his mouth. _Teeth seem fine…so does tongue…I suppose I'll have to shave after I find my shaving kit…I wonder how long I've been out for…_

Suddenly he heard the door open and close outside, a small gasp coming from outside the bathroom. _"Zell!!"_ Angel cried in a terrified voice.

"In here…" he called meekly.

Angel was at the door in an instant, swinging it open to see Zell, still wearing the cloths he had on at Trabia, smiling at her. "Hiya honey. How ya been?" he said evenly, as if his life hadn't been severely threaten only yesterday.

It was all he got out before she threw herself at him, tears in her eyes as she hugged him as hard as she dared. He grunted with pain, and she let go quickly. "What? What is it? The virus?" she babbled, looking up at him with shocked concern in her eyes.

"Nah, baby, it's just that I'm not at my max right now, ya know…"

Tears formed in her eyes and she began to cry softly, placing her head on his chest and weeping, the relief that he was ok overwhelming.

Zell smiled and place a weak arm around her, rubbing her softly on the back. "There, there, I'm ok now…" he whispered into her hair.

_I think._ He thought to himself.

*          *            *

He walked out of the bathroom feeling cleaner in years. A good hot shower and a shave felt like a thousand Curagas to him, and the fresh clothes he wore were also a godsend. He closed the door and smiled over at Angel, who had waited on the bed.

"How are you feeling now?" She asked.

He walked over to the bed cautiously, as if each step was a threat. "I feel like someone tied me to the wall and tenderised me with a large, blunt object." Finally reaching the bed, he sat down gingerly, Angel moving to wrap her arms around him, pressing her chest to his back. "But…it's more then that…" he muttered, savouring her smell. "It's like…someone's also grabbed my guts and ripped them out…"

"Eww…"

"No, I'm serious! I feel really…empty inside. And the funny thing is…I think I've felt this way before…"

Angel released him and smiled. "You're just hungry. I'll order us some food."

She crawled over to the other side of the bed and grabbed the phone, ordering some room service. Zell allowed himself to fall limp, falling back on the bed gratefully.

His weakness was beginning to worry him…what had happened in the couple of hours that he was asleep? Or had it been a couple of days? And what the hell was this thing on his wrist? It looked a lot like a wristwatch, but seemed to glow with magical light.

"Hon…"

"Yes?"

"How long was I asleep for?"

"Selphie told me that you got this virus thing yesterday around midday, and that Dr. Odine stopped it at about three o'clock…you've been sleeping since."

"What time is it now?"

"…It's just about to turn ten."

Eighteen hours. He had slept for eighteen hours. That was almost a full day. No wonder he felt so wasted. "Do you know how they stopped the virus?"

Angel finally put down the phone and crawled back over the large bed to him, sitting just above him and placing his head in her lap. "Ummm…Squall said he needed to talk to you about that. I called him while you were in the shower. He'll be here in a few minutes."

"Hmfph…" Zell grunted, looking up at her. "I hope I'm alright."

"You'll be fine hon…you just need rest for now."

Zell nodded absently…before looking up at her again. "Listen…I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For leaving you and Ma at Balamb like that…I…I wasn't thinking right…I was so angry, I felt like grabbing the guy who did it and punching him through a wall…"

Angel looked away, out the window. "Who did do it, Zell?" She asked quietly.

Zell paused once more. _Who's she gonna tell? I suppose it couldn't hurt…but if I do tell her, what would happen if the guy finds out? Would he try to use it against me? He's already tried to kill them once before…I suppose it might be alright…I should ask Squall. Yeah, he'll know what to do._

"All I can tell you, Angel, is that this guy is very dangerous and very sadistic."

"Do you know who it is?"

"Not yet…but I'm so close…" _Hey…before all this happened, Squall was about to tell me who he thought it was…I suppose I'd better ask him…_

The door opened and Squall walked into the room. Zell cocked an eyebrow as he saw what his commander was wearing – Estharian clothing, the long robes draping over Squall's body. He neglected to wear a hood, however, allowing his brown hair to be seen. He bright greens and blues, however, didn't match his steely grey eyes.

He smiled as he walked over to them. "Laguna's way of introducing me to the Estharians. He thought that if I dressed like them, they would open up to me more." He sat down on the bed. "It works…to a degree. How are you feeling, Zell?"

"Like I've been run over by a convoy of trucks…but I'm alright, I guess."

"Good…"

"So, what's up? What's been happening?"

Squall took in a breath and began to tell Zell and Angel what had been happening ever since Zell contracted the disease off Emily Strange. He told them about the discussion on the Ragnarok – about the point tally, about how they managed to arrest the virus with the Stop magic, the talk Squall had with Laguna – he told them everything.

After, Zell looked down at his Odine wristlet with muted shock. "So…I have no magic within me?"

"None at all."

Zell looked up at Squall with horror in his eyes. "But…I might need to cast magic at the tally ceremony. What happens if I cant?"

"You explain your situation and hope that your score is good enough for them to overlook it."

"But Squall…you don't understand." He looked down at the wristlet again. "Telling the judges…in front of the remaining fighters…would be telling them that I'm blind, deaf and dumb. The next round is a crucial round, and I'll be needing all the magic I can handle in order to win."

Squall smiled, patting him on the shoulder. "You'll be fine. You've been training for almost a full year against monsters without any magic, remember? How hard will it be?"

"Squall, T-Rexaurs and Grats don't cast much magic. Physically, I'd probably be able to beat anybody – but these guys will have magic. _Powerful_ magic."

Squall's smiled melted into a frown. "Well, it's either have no magic for the rest of the day, or death. Which would you prefer?"

"What do you mean?" Angel asked, quiet up till now.

"If he takes in any magic from the Odine wristlet, there's a good chance that it might be contaminated by the virus, and he'll be infected once more. And we can't risk giving him any magic, because there might be some dormant virus still in his system. Giving him any magic might wake the dormant infection – so no magic." He took Zell's wrist in his hand and pointed at the wristlet. "See the green glow? When it's completely red, it will beep. This will mean that the virus is dead, and you can take your magic and GFs back. But until then, you're on your own. Now, Zell, listen to me. When, and only when, the watch beeps can you take your magic back in. Don't try to draw any magic from anybody until then – got it?"

"Draw magic, die horrible death. Check."

"And for Hynes sake, try to stay alive until then. You have the knack for getting yourself in trouble at the worst times."

"Lose the knack. Check." Zell took back his hand and looked down at the magical device, before looking back up at Squall. "When's the ceremony begin?"

"It ought to begin in about five hours – which, thankfully, is supposed to be the time when the virus kills itself. So, with a bit of luck, it ought to be alright for you to use magic at the ceremony."

"Ok…thanks Squall."

"It's alright. What are you going to do until then?"

"I think I'd better catch up on some more sleep…what do you think, hon?"

Angel smiled at him, punching him in the shoulder. "I think you've slept enough! But he's not going to be going anywhere very soon, Squall."

Squall looked at them, before rolling his eyes and standing. "Whatever. Just make sure you're ready to go at about two-thirty. I'll come back to get you." He smiled at them, before leaving the room.

Zell sighed. The knowledge that his magic and GFs had been locked away once more was an even more scary thought then having to face off against a fully functioning opponent. However, he was pretty sure that his bone-weariness was from his oversleeping and the virus's effects – all he needed was some food and a little TLC.

His strength was returning, however, and he rolled over as Squall closed the door, looking Angel square in the eye. She smiled at him slowly. "What?"

He began to crawl towards her on all fours, like an animal, not pulling his sight from her eyes for one second. She began to back away from him, crawling to the end of the bed. "What? What are you doing? Zell!"

She squealed in protest as he pounced, making the two of them fall off the bed and onto the soft carpeted floor, Zell twisting his body so he took most of the fall, giggling as he landed. Angel looked down at him with a mock-angry look. "Oh. I see. Well, don't get any thoughts, Zell Dincht."

"What? Like this?" he asked innocently, standing and picking her up in one go, easily placing him over his shoulder. His strength _was_ returning.

"Zell!! Put me down! You shouldn't carry me around in your condition!!" She squealed as he moved towards the bathroom. "What…what are you doing?"

"I'm going to have another shower." He replied simply, the librarian unable to see the big grin on his face.

"But you just had one."

"Not with you."

"Zell!"

*          *            *

There was a soft knock on the door, and it slid open to let Squall walk in.

The lights were dimmed, and Squall saw Zell standing just next to the bed, looking down at someone sleeping in it.

He moved into the room, letting the door slide shut behind him, and walked up to Zell. Zell was dressed in his fighting gear – black track-pants with a black sweatshirt, his Uber Ehrgiez gauntlets glinting in the dull light. He looked down at Angel, sleeping, with a look on his face that Squall couldn't interpret.

Squall placed a hand on his shoulder. "We have to go."

Zell nodded, heaving a huge sigh. Raising a hand, he kissed the cold metal and pressed them ever so gently on Angel's lips.

She frowned slightly in her sleep and rolled over.

Zell sighed once more and turned to Squall. "Lets rock."

*          *            *

The ceremony was being held just on the outskirts of Esthar in the middle of the Great Plains. Red rock surrounded them all, as well as the great stands erected for the audience, made in a gigantic circle. Zell and the others rode with Laguna in the Presidential air-ship, the comfy seats and beverages served the only things portraying Laguna's taste. The outside of the air-ship held two rail-guns and a Bomb thrower, the defences of the elite.

They landed with minimal fuss, stepping off the air-ship's steps to only be accosted by dozens of fans. Laguna had allowed a red carpet to be unfurled for the ship, and railings set up to stop the masses from spilling onto the carpet.

Laguna and Rinoa went first, Rinoa feeling a little queasy from all the rich food she had been eating that day. As soon as Zell stepped off the ship, however, the crowd seemed to erupt, the cheers blowing out into an assault on the senses. Zell smiled, finding the whole scene rather funny.

He lifted his fist in the air, and the crowd cheered once more. Taking a few steps back, he back flipped off the steps to the ground, landing perfectly to the delight of the crowd.

Squall walked off the air-ship shaking his head, moving down the steps slowly and walking up to Zell with a look of disappointment on his face.

"What?" Zell said indignantly, but Squall simply walked past him with a frown on his face, moving fast to catch up with his father and girlfriend.

Irvine and Selphie stepped off the ship and looked out at the crowd. "Wow…I never knew Zell had so many fans…" Selphie whispered.

The group made their way to the ceremony stage, the travel through the crowd only helping to boost Zell's moral to hither-known heights. By the time they reached the stage, Zell was as giddy as Selphie on a train.

The stage looked just like it had in Centra and Obel Lake – red floors, with large scaffolding framing the back. A large curtain seemed to have been drawn over the vid-screen of this one, however. Looking across the stage as he mounted the stairs up, he saw where the other fighters had been placed. He turned to the others. "Well, guys, wish me luck."

Squall placed a hand on Zell's shoulder. "Remember, man, don't draw or use magic."

"Hyne, Squall, stop mothering me will ya?"

Laguna stepped forward and shook Zell's hand. "I wish you the best of luck, Zell. I'm sure you'll do fine, anyways."

Zell nodded, returning the handshake carefully, lest he broke Laguna's hand with the Uber Ehrgiez, and turned away, moving towards his four competitors.


	22. Failure

Ch 22 – Failure

"Well, well, the Hunter shows his face." Grey said, standing with his arms crossed, dressed in a grey pair of slacks and a grey shirt. "We've been worried about you, Zell. Afraid that you might have been a little too chicken to show."

Zell smiled at the White SeeD. "Hiya Grey. Nice to see that you have enough fashion sense to dress to your name."

Grey grimaced at the counter, not bothering to return the verbal jab.

Zell looked over at the other three competitors. Clara Justice, dressed in blue track pants and a red shirt with some black sneakers – a pair of gauntlets on her hands and a cool look in her eyes. Zell walked up to her. "You know, in all the time we've been competing, I've never seen you fight. I didn't know you used gauntlets."

She looked down at the metallic gloves, flexing her fist. "This way I don't break my nails."

Zell frowned and blinked. "Was…was that…" he looked over at an imaginary panel behind his shoulder. "…Judges?…yes, I believe that qualified as a joke."

Clara smiled coldly. "Feel special Dincht. I'm only talking to you because you've beaten my counterparts…even if they didn't play fair. I assure you – I'm not a cheat like Sheran, and I'm not as easily beaten as Strange."

Zell smiled warmly, ignoring her sarcasm. "Ok, first off, Sheran was a bitch to beat, and second, Emily deserves more credit."

"Drop the holier-then-thou crap, Hunter." Grey muttered, Zell turning to face him. "They were defeated because you had more skill then them, plain and simple. 'The weak perish, whilst the strong survive.'" He quoted.

"Gretin Valdreos…chapter twelve, verse thirteen in the SeeD guide…the first SeeD to draw a GF."

"It's good that you know your history, Hunter."

Zell narrowed his eyes. "Please don't call me that. It's beginning to get old."

Grey smirked, but decided to let it go, turning away from the two of them and walking to the far end of the waiting area.

Zell shook his head and sighed. "Hyne, that guy shits me sometimes…"

"Don't feel too bad, Zell." A familiar voice said, and he turned to see July. "He's just afraid of you, that's all."

Zells was surprised to see the girl, blinking at her in confusion. "July…you…"

July simply smiled at his shock. "I'm better then you think, Zell."

She wore a red skirt and a black blouse, sneakers on her shoes. She also wore gloves, the bright white material covering her tiny hands. She smiled again as he looked at them. "I don't wanna break a nail either."

Zell smirked at that, before he saw someone move out from behind July. It was another girl, this one unknown to Zell. She had dark black hair tied back into a ponytail that only reached her shoulders, and had a slim build.

"I don't believe we've met…" Zell said, moving forward, holding out a gauntlet to shake.

"Dee Hunter." The girl replied, accepting Zell's metallic grip. She looked down at the gauntlets as they shook hands. "Nice gloves."

"The correct term, I think, is gauntlet…pretty cool, huh?" Zell said with a smile, taking back his hand and lifting it up to show off. "Custom made in FH by a friend of mine…there's not another pair in the world like em."

"Huh…" Hunter replied, lifting up her hands. Zell looked down at them, before widening his eyes.

"Hey! Those are…"

"Ehrgiez gloves. I made them myself." She said a little haughtily.

Zell couldn't help but grab her hand and turn it this way and that, admiring the handiwork. "Wow…these are really well done!"

"Thank you," she said politely. Zell narrowed his eyes as she looked into his. Her gaze simply screamed _fight me, I dare you._

Someone cleared their throat, and all the fighters turned to see a tall man, his olive skin making him seem like a dark stranger in the Estharian robes, standing before them. Zell recognised the man immediately – he had had some strange experiences regarding him. "Kiros!!"

"Hello, Zell." The Vice-President of Esthar said, bowing his head slowly as a way of welcome. "It's good to see you in better health."

"Thanks man. I haven't seen you in years! How you been?"

Kiros smiled, the action lighting up his flawlessly smooth face. "I can't complain, if that's what you mean. But this thing will be starting in a few minutes. I just wanted to wish you all luck."

Kiros was Esthar's diplomatic ambassador to all the other countries – this was obviously a sign of politeness. Clara stepped forward, shaking the tall man's hand. "Thank you, sir."

Kiros received the handshake warmly, before nodding to them and walking off towards the back of the stage. Hunter and Clara turned to Zell. "How do you know him?" Hunter asked, curious.

Zell smiled enigmatically. "Lets just say we've had some weird encounters during the past."

Hunter narrowed her eyes, before taking a step back in surprise. "Oh! I didn't know you were _that_ way!"

Zell's jaw dropped open, shouting at the incredulously inaccurate accusation. "_I…I'm not gay_!!"

Clara snorted. "Yeah right. Everybody knows the cute ones are gay."

Before the now-fuming Zell could retaliate, President Justice and President Laguna walked out from behind the curtain rigged up on the stage, moving to wards a podium which rose from beneath the stage. The fighters obediently gathered together near the two leaders of Gaia's largest continents, and waited to be called upon.

Justice walked up first, addressing the crowd, talking loud and clear into the microphone. "Ladies and gentleman, the Gaia Martial Arts Tournament is very close to its completion. One of these five fighters," he shouted, gesturing to the group of warriors, "Will soon be known as the supreme master of Duelling in the known world, and will net twenty million Gil in the process."

The crowd began to cheer when the President mentioned the money, and he smiled as they began to applaud. Laguna stepped up to the podium, placing a hand on Justice's shoulder with a smile and a nod, before approaching the microphone. "Ladies and Gentlemen, please…" he said formally, waving his hand to calm the masses. "We all know that we want to see some action! But, unfortunately, it seems that we've hit a snag. In the proceedings, President Justice, unwittingly, gathered forty fighters for a five-round tournament. Now, my math is a bit off, Justice, but isn't that a little odd?"

"Right, President Loire. It seems that we had one too many people. Therefore we are holding this announcement in order to see who is lucky enough to compete in the last two rounds."

Laguna smiled goofily, looking down at the older man. "Well, how are we gonna do that?"

Zell rolled his eyes and groaned. This was obviously staged and rehearsed. He hated it when infamous people were forced to act – just because they could run a nation doesn't mean that they were good actors. "Oh, shoot me…" he groaned out loud as Laguna and Justice continued to act - badly.

"Well, I suppose we better get these scores out here so we can let these fine warriors return to their rest for tomorrow's round, Laguna."

"Right, Justice. Well, who do we begin with?"

Justice reached into his dinner-jacket pocket, pulling out five envelopes. "Lets start with…" he said out loud, as if he was talking to himself. He flicked through the expensive envelopes, seemingly choosing one at random. "…Dee Hunter!!"

There was a round of applause as Laguna gestured for Dee to step forward, the crowd clapping politely as the girl walked up to Laguna. Justice opened the envelope as he spoke into the microphone. "Dee Hunter, an avid Do Shei practiser, hails from Centra. She's been training for this tournament ever since she heard from it, and is fighting for the prize money to pay for her sick mother's medical fees and tend for her family."

The audience 'awwww'ed collectively, and Dee blushed slightly, clasping her hands behind her back and looking down at her shoes. Zell looked at her with a new perspective. Before she had seemed a brash, sarcastic girl – overconfident of her skill, challenging everyone. But now he saw that it was a defence mechanism – stay on the offensive, keeping everyone else cowed and you'll do just fine.

Justice pulled the piece of paper from the envelope and held it up so he could read in the floodlights. "Dee scored an amazing 32 out of 40 for skill, 20 out of 20 for magic usage, and 25 out of 40 for endurance, giving her a grand total of 77 points out of 100! That's pretty high! Thanks a lot, Dee!"

The crowd cheered once more as Dee stepped forward to receive the letter and wave to the audience, before stepping back amongst the fighters, clutching the letter with a tight grip. Zell watched as she stood away from the others, staring down at the letter with wide eyes. He stepped up and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Good score, Dee. You sound like an exceptional fighter."

She nodded vacantly, still staring down at the letter in her tight grip.

"The next fighter is…Hirouminius Greyniminous, the White SeeD! What a name, ladies and gentlemen!"

Everybody cheered and clapped as Grey walked slowly forward, moving towards Laguna to shake him by the hand. Zell watched him move, slow and sure, and take Laguna's larger hand in stride. Laguna smiled in good nature as they shook hands. "Wow…that's some grip you got there, son."

Grey simply smiled an un-readable smile and said nothing, taking back his hand and clasping it behind his back.

Justice spoke into the microphone, missing the little trading of words with Laguna and Grey. "Grey, as he likes to be known…for obvious reasons…" The crowd laughed at that. "…Has wowed us with his quick and powerful manoeuvres, as well as his lack of showmanship in the battlefield. His attacks are quick and deadly, going for the throat and not letting go. He's a deadly fighter – excelling in almost all aspects."

He opened the envelope and pulled out the piece of paper. "40 out of 40 for skill, 10 out of 20 for magic usage, and 40 out of 40 for endurance, giving him a grand total of 90 points out of 100!!"

The crowd went wild, clapping and whistling as Grey stepped up to Justice to claim his letter. Zell found himself tensing as Grey reached for his prize – but all the White SeeD did was take the letter with a honourable nod of the head, before turning and walking back to the fighters, not bothering to acknowledge the crowd.

Justice blinked, before turning back to the microphone. "What did I tell you, folks! All business, that's Grey!"

Grey moved through, walking up to July, who patted him on the shoulder with a smile. "Good work, Grey." She said quietly, Zell only barely able to hear them over the crowd.

"Thanks July…"

"I only wish that Sam was here…"

"Fate decided his destiny, July. Nothing more."

July nodded and looked up as Justice began to speak once more. "Next up we have…July Grimale, another White SeeD. A round of applause, ladies and gentlemen!"

The crowd applauded July as she walked forward, waving and smiling to the crowd as she walked up to Laguna, who shook her hand with a goofy smile. "And how did someone so beautiful get into martial arts, may I ask?" he asked warmly.

July smiled shyly and shrugged. "I guess I like to beat people up."

Laguna laughed out loud at the reply, shaking his head with a sigh. "Well, at least you're honest!!"

Justice spoke as he opened the envelope. "July has struck the male part of the crowd with a strong blow, the only female contestant to draw a more male-orientated crowd. Her flowing style, smooth attacks and stunning beauty, as well as her tendency to wear white during battles, have people branding her as the White Angel, sweeping through her opponents with all the grace and elegance of the heavens." He pulled the letter out of the envelope. "The White Angel scored 34 out of 40 for skill, 20 out of 20 for magic usage, and 32 out of 40 for endurance, giving her a grand total of 86 out of 100!!"

There were loud cheers and wolf-whistles as July moved forward to claim her prize, and Zell smiled as she took it with a gleeful giggle, hugging it close before running back to show it off.

She ran up to Grey, who smiled down at her. "Good going, July."

She turned to Zell. "Zell! Isn't it wonderful! I'm sure to get into the finals now!!"

Zell's smile didn't waver one bit. "I'm glad for you, July. You deserve that eighty-six."

Justice cleared his throat for the next announcement. "Now presenting…Zell Dincht, Sorceress Slayer and SeeD!"

Zell looked to the podium as the crowd suddenly erupted, the wave of noise seeming to make his ears hurt as he stepped up to shake Laguna's hand. He looked out to the crowd nervously as he took the President of Esthar's hand and pumped it up and down. "Whoa, easy there Zell…I'll need that hand for later…" Laguna said hurriedly, taking back his hand before patting him on the shoulder. "For a guy as talented as you are, you should relax a bit."

Zell rolled his eyes. "And I suppose you go through this kind of treatment daily?"

Laguna smiled and leaned back, placing a finger on his bottom lip. "Hmmm…only on public holidays and special events."

Zell just looked at him with a deadpan stare.

Justice spoke into the microphone as he opened Zell's envelope. "Zell has astounded the judges and the audience with his skill and expertise. His devastating attacks and excellent use of magic, as well as his never-give-up attitude has given him an almost legendary status in the Tournament circuit – as if he didn't have enough of that anyways…" the crowd tittered once more as he drew the letter from it's sheath, flicking it open expertly. "Wow! An amazing 40 out of 40 for skill, 20 out of 20 for magic usage, and 40 out of 40 for endurance, giving Zell a perfect score!!"

The crowd went wild once more, people cheering more loudly then anybody before. Zell's spirit soared as he heard Justice's words, and he pumped his fist into the air with a  "Booya!!"

Justice raised his hands to silence the crowd. "However ladies and gentlemen…" he said into the microphone, the crowd falling quiet instantly, Zell pausing mid-punch. "…The judges have ruled that, because Zell used Forbidden magic to defeat Sheran Timlett, they had to half his score."

_What?!_ Zell screamed in his mind, his body seeming to be sucked dry of all his previous energy as his mouth fell open. Laguna stepped forward, concern in his face as he looked at Zell's expression. "Zell? Are you all right? Is it the virus?" he asked hurriedly, moving forward with a hand out.

"I've…I've lost…" Zell muttered absently, blinking to clear his vision. _No prize money…no stopping the assassin…I've lost on all accounts…beaten by my own foolishness…dammit, Dincht, why did you have to take out Sheran like that!!_

In his peripheral vision he could see Grey smirking, his arms crossed, one hand still clutching his own letter, the one which said that he _beat_ Zell. If Zell wasn't so shocked at his technical foul, he most probably would have walked right up to Grey and head butted him, just to see the smirk get wiped off in a blaze of adrenaline – but Zell simply looked down at his hands, as if he could find the answer in his shiny adamantine palms.

Justice watched Zell stand there, dumbfounded, in silence for a second, the crowd deathly quiet as well. You could hear a pin drop as he cleared his throat once more, every set of eyes save Zell's, whose was fixed to his hands, swivelling form Zell to him. "However…" he said slowly into the microphone, rattling the piece of paper as he read on. "…Because of Zell's defeat of the Guardian Force Diablos, as well as the re-acquirement of the GF, his score has officially doubled, giving him a perfect score once more!!"

Zell looked up with sheer shock in his eyes as Justice smiled whole-heartedly, walking forward to shake Zell's trembling hand. "Sorry about that, son. I couldn't help holding everybody in suspense like that."

Zell received the handshake with half hearted gusto, his chocobo-caught-in-headlights expression melting away to one of a cheeky grin. "You crafty old bastard…you really had me going there…" he muttered, barely holding back the glee in his voice.

Justice snorted a laugh. "Hell, it was worth the look on your face!"

Zell laughed out loud, snatching the piece of paper from the President's hand and clutching it gently, turning around to move back to the group of fighters. As he turned, he caught sight of Squall and the others – joined with two more people.

Selphie waved to him with hyper-kinetic excitement, one arm flung over Angel's shoulder as Angel waved too, Ma standing just next to Irvine with a hanky in her chubby hand, dabbing proud tears from her warm eyes. Zell smiled warmly and flicked them a peace sign – which caused the deathly silent crowd to explode once more, the cheers said to be heard all the way into Esthar City.

Zell walked back to the group, his stride a little more confident, his hands gripping the paper with a firm gentleness. July stepped forward, patting him on the back. "You should have seen yourself, you looked so shocked!!"

"Yeah, the old bugger sure gave me a good fright."

Clara walked up. "A prefect score, Zell. I hope that we fight soon. It'd like to test myself against you now."

"I'm pretty sure we'll find out wether or not you'll be able to now, huh?"

Clara nodded and moved past him, walking up to Laguna as her father cleared his throat one final time. "Well, I guess that leaves just one last fighter…Clara Justice, my daughter and the best fighter that Galbadia has to offer."

Clara moved towards Laguna, and he raised his hand with a smile. She nodded to him and shook his hand quickly, her hand slipping from his grip after one firm shake. Laguna leaned on his left leg and placed a hand on his hip, a smug smile on his face. "So, you're on of those strong, silent types, huh?"

"I guess so, sir." Clara replied formally.

"Why don't you relax? You'll never be able to fight all bundled into nerves like that." He said warmly.

"No offence, sir, but I'm fine the way I am, thank you."

Laguna's smile remained, but he rubbed his leg absently as turned to watch Justice as he spoke.

"Clara has ripped through the Tournament with all the gusto that a true blooded Galbadian could muster, giving it her all on the battle field. Her shocking attacks have left her opponent's dead, or wishing they were dead. Her expert usage of elemental and status magic, as well as her Blue magic, has astounded and shocked viewers everywhere." He pulled the paper out of the envelope, holding it up so he could see clearly. "Wow! Another great score, ladies and gentlemen! 40 out of 40 for skill, 20 out of 20 for magic usage, and 40 out of 40 for endurance, giving Clara a perfect 100!!"

The crowd cheered excitedly once more, Clara walking up to Justice to claim her prize. Justice handed the piece of paper over to her and smiled, chuffing her underneath the chin. "That's my girl." He said, fatherly pride evident in his voice, before they hugged.

The crowd 'awwww'ed once more, before Clara released her father and walked back to the fighters. She walked right up to Zell and stood before him, a smirk on her face and a hand on her hip. "Well…what do you think of that, Zell?"

Zell nodded his approval. "Excellent, Clara…couldn't have done it better myself. Although, you do know that these guys are only scoring on how flashy our fights are. Once we're in the battlefield, the thoughts of a good show vanish and its just you and the other guy."

Clara scoffed at his words, waving her hand at him. "Oh, come on! All you've been doing since you've been here is showcase! I've been actually fighting, and beating my opponents with skill worthy of a champion."

Zell shrugged. "Meh. Can't argue with you there."

Justice finally cleared his throat, before walking up to Laguna. They briefly exchanged words, before Justice handed Laguna a final envelope. Laguna took the envelope solemnly, and walked up to the podium, speaking clearly and professionally. "Dee Hunter…could you step forward, please?"

Dee, clutching her letter nervously, stepped out from behind the four other fighters and walked up to Laguna and Justice, Justice walking forward and placing his arm around her shoulder. Laguna turned to face her, taking the microphone with him. "Miss Hunter…you have scored the lowest of the five finalists, resulting in you dropping from the finals altogether." He bit his bottom lip as Dee lowered her head, small tears trickling down her face, Justice rubbing her shoulders soothingly.

"You're honourable contribution will not go unrewarded, however." Laguna continued, moving forward and placing a hand on her shoulder. "You're battle within the Tournament is over now, and out of all the contestants, your cause was the most noble, the most moving. Which is why I'm going to make sure that your mother is taken care of in the best hospital Esthar has to offer, completely free of charge."

Dee looked up, the tears in her eyes turning from tears of sorrow into tears of joy. "R-really? Y-you mean it?" she sobbed.

Laguna smiled. "That right. And not only that, you can move your whole family here while she gets better, all food and accommodations paid for by the Esthar government."

Dee suddenly threw herself at Laguna, hugging him for all she was worth, the tears now streaming down her face as she sobbed uncontrollably. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!!" she sobbed gleefully, Laguna laughing out loud as he patted her on the back.

The crowd began to clap, then cheer, then holler encouragement to her as he disengaged her from his neck and turned her back to the group, allowing her to walk back under her own steam.

She stumbled forward, moving into July's hug. "You did great, hon…" July whispered as Dee lowered her head into July's shoulder and wept. "you were excellent…"

Zell walked forward and patted her shoulder. "You're mother and family will be alright now, Dee. You achieved your goal."

Dee nodded into July's shoulder and stood straight, sniffing and rubbing her eyes. "I know…but it would have felt better if I knew I had gotten them help the honourable way. By winning."

"Are you kidding?!" Zell said, wide eyed. He placed a hand on Dee's shoulder and turned her to face the crowd. "They _love you, _Dee! What else could you want?!"

Dee smiled and turned to look up at Zell. "I suppose you're right."

Zell stood straight, his hands on his hips. "I know I'm right." He said confidently, the face he pulled causing the serious girl to giggle.

Laguna walked up to the microphone once more. "Well, now that that's over, I suppose we can get down to the partying, right?!"

Everybody hurrahed, and began to move from their seat. Zell watched as the fighters moved their separate ways, July and Grey silently exiting the stage first, followed by a half-struck Dee. He turned to see Clara talking to Justice and Laguna and walked up to them.

"Well, Clara…" Zell said, moving to stand next to Laguna. "It seems we're one step closer to the end."

Clara smiled. "Well…we'll see about that. I believe we're fighting each other tomorrow?"

Zell looked around nervously. "Uh…really?"

"Yes." Justice confirmed, turning to look at Zell. "The people with the highest scores are to fight each other tomorrow. I thought you knew that."

"I thought it was just gonna be random, like it's been before."

"Nope. You're fighting Clara tomorrow." Laguna said confidently, patting Zell on the back with good nature.

Zell frowned, concealing his surprise with mock-frustration. "Rats. I really wanted to clean Grey's clock."

Clara shrugged. "You might still get the chance…but you'll have to fight me first." And with that, she turned and walked off the stage.

Zell sighed and turned to the two presidents. "Well, thanks for the little piece of paper, guys. I'm sure Ma will want me to frame it and add it to my collection of stuff when I get home…" He suddenly stopped, remembering the smouldering rubble that use to be his home.

Justice stepped forward, shaking his head sadly. "I heard what happened to your house, Zell. Suffice to say, it's a miracle that you managed to get you and your loved ones out."

"How…how'd you hear?"

Justice rolled his eyes. "Zell! I'm the President of Galbadia, the most populated continent on Gaia! There's not much I _don't _know!!"

_You don't know that there's someone gunning for your life…you don't know that it might be one of your people…you don't know that there are radicals in the Galbadian Army…you don't know a lot of things, Justice._ "Well…touche, I guess."

"Are there any leads?"

Zell rubbed his chin. "Well, as you know I haven't exactly been paying attention to my surroundings since it happened…so I'll have to check in on that. But that's for your kind words. They help."

He heard a sound behind him, and turned to see Angel and Ma running towards him, Angel launching herself into his arms as she giggled with glee. "You did it, Zell! You're in the next round!!" she squealed as he lifted her up.

"I'm so proud of you, Zell…" Ma said, wiping a tear away with a damp hanky.

Laguna chuckled and waked over to where Squall and the others were climbing on stage, but Justice moved forward to address Ma Dincht. "You must be Zell's mother. I believe they just call you 'Ma'. Is that correct?"

Ma turned and smiled warmly. "Yes."

Justice returned the smile. "Well, I can see why. You radiate a mother's love."

"Why, thank you. And you are?"

Zell rolled his eyes as he tried to fend off Angel's kisses. "Ma! This is President Justice!"

Ma immediately raised a hand to her mouth, gasping in shock, before bowing low. "I'm so sorry, Mr. President…"

Justice chuckled and grasped her hand, raising her to stand. "Please…there's no reason that a beautiful woman such as yourself should stay with formality…and my name is Justice Delarn. Pleased to meet you." He raised her hand and kissed it, Ma blushing shyly.

Zell blinked, before turning Angel and him away. "I think we'll leave them to their own devices, huh?"

Angel fought of the giggles and hugged him harder. "Yeah."

*          *            *

Next chapter – Zell VS Clara! The battle of the titans! Who will win? Only a flip of a coin will tell…I mean time! Time!


	23. July VS Grey

Ch 23 – July VS Grey

Zell opened his eyes and looked up at the blue Estharian roof, momentarily unable to tell where he was.

His vision was blurry, and he blinked several times and lifted a hand to rub the sleep out of his eyes, careful not to waker Angel, who slept clinging to him as she usually did. He rubbed his eyes, before scratching the base of his scalp as he tried to recall what he did last night.

Advancement ceremony…dinner with Justice and Laguna in the Presidential Dining Room…having to tell Ma that she's had enough to drink…hmmm, what else?

He looked down at the sleeping girl and smiled. _Oh yeah._

Disengaging himself gently, he rolled over and slipped out of the expensive silky sheets, scratching the back of his neck as he padded through the thick carpet over to the bathroom.

_Hyne, I need to pee…_he thought to himself, quickening his pace and shutting the door behind him before relieving himself. Flushing and hoping that the noise wouldn't wake Angel, he washed his hands and splashed some cold water on his face.

Absently he recognised the Odine bracelet still on his arm, and twisted it around so the face faced him. He frowned as he looked down at the readout. _It's not quite done yet…I thought it was supposed to be done yesterday._ He shrugged. _Ah well. It looks like it's almost done, anyways. My fight isn't until midday anyways. It ought to be done by then._

He splashed some water on his face once more and wiped it with a towel, looking at himself in the mirror. His tattoo flared at him, and he smiled at the memory of getting it.

"What are you smiling at, tough guy?"

Zell turned to see Angel standing in the doorway, holding the door open with a slim hand, her body wrapped in a towel. He smiled at her. "Sorry if I woke you."

"No bother." She said, dismissing his remark easily, before walking up and giving him a gentle kiss on the lips, before looking up at him once more. "So, what are you smiling at?"

"Oh…nothing…" Zell said, turning back to look at his reflection. "I was just remembering how I got my tattoo…" He raised a hand and rubbed the blackened area of skin gently. "A bunch of guys and me had gone to Deling City after being accepted into Garden. We walked around, and found this little seedy tattoo parlour in an alley. We were only twelve at the time – we thought it would be really cool to get some tattoos. All I remember was a lot of pain and my friends cheering me on, but when I woke up in the hotel the next morning, I saw the tattoo and freaked."

Angel walked up behind him, wrapping one arm around his midriff as she traced the pattern of the tattoo with a finger. "What did you do?"

Zell grinned. "The first thing I did was puke. Then I beat the crap out of my friends for making me do it. Then I got such a grounding from Ma." He chuckled. "The more that I look back at it, the more it seems so funny. I still remember how Ma had held my head under the water as she tried to scrub the bloody thing off…but it was permanent." He shook his head and sighed. "After a year or so, people simply got used to it. I was always reckless and gung-ho anyways – the tattoo is like an outward expression of my soul."

Angel smiled, resting her head on his back. "Ooo…getting philosophical now, huh?"

Zell cleared his throat hurriedly. "Erm, of course not!"

Angel giggled. "Yes you are! You're very thoughtful. You're always thinking of everybody but yourself…that's one of the reasons why I love you."

Zell smiled, turning and wrapping her up in a big muscly hug. "Thanks babe."

She cuddled against him, her warmth making him feel like a million gil…before they heard a knock on the door. They both tensed. Apart from Angel, who was wearing a small towel, they were both wearing basically nothing at all. Zell looked down at her with a cheeky glint in his eye. "Wanna go see who it is?"

She smirked up at him and removed her towel, wrapping it around him instead. "I need to have a shower first." Turning his head up from his wide-eyed gaze at her body with a delicate push at his chin, she tucked the hem of the towel into itself and pushed him out the door, closing it with a small bang.

Zell looked back to see if he could catch one last glimpse – but missed out. "Aiyaaa…" he muttered to himself, scratching the back of his neck as he walked to the front door.

He opened it to see July standing in the corridor, her long blond hair pulled back into a long pony tail. She was wearing a white blouse and some white tracksuit pants, her gloves a brilliant white as well. It was true what Justice had said. She looked like an Angel, her clothing so bright it was painful to look at. She smiled up at him. "Hi, Zell." She looked down his battle-scarred torso, seeing that he was wearing only the towel. "Have I caught you at a bad time?"

Zell heard the shower in the bathroom turn on, and he looked down at her. "Yes. Sorry. Come back some other time."

He moved to close the door, but she quickly put her foot in the door. "No, wait! I need to tell you something!"

Zell opened the door fully, standing in the frame to block her way in. "Look, July, you're a nice girl and everything, but you and me…well, there is no you and me! I love Angel, and that's all there is to it, ok?"

His own harsh words shocked him, and it looked like each syllable struck July like Bahamet's Mega Flare, her face grimacing with each word. She moved up close, however, trying to make her way into the room. "Its…it isn't about us. It's about the…" she raised her head to his ear, whispering the word. "…Assassin."

Zell's eyes widened, and he suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her into the room, shutting the door quietly behind him. She began to walk up to him and speak, but he grabbed her arms and shook her violently. "Who is it? I was so close in Centra! Who is it!?"

She blinked back tears as she spoke. "He's…he's been sneaking out almost every night ever since the Tournament began…and for the last few nights I've followed him…and he's been meeting with the Galbadian girl, Emily!"

"Who, damn you!!" Zell yelled.

"I…I think it's Grey."

Zell was confused with his reaction. He felt like he should have been shocked, been surprised even minutely…but he wasn't. All he felt was a kind of…relief? From finally finding out who the bastard was, to finally find out who it was…and, to tell the truth, to finally confirm his beliefs. "Grey…I shouldn't have doubts my instincts…"

He released July and walked over to the wall, leaning against it with a hand. She took a step forward, hugging herself as she spoke. "They…they would talk for hours…sometimes all night…I…I figures they knew each other…but when they began to use the knife…" She shuddered. "Zell…don't blame him. He's been…manipulated, or something. He's always been deathly afraid of knifes and swords – that's why he's Duelist."

Zell narrowed his eyes. _That's right. He shied away from Squall when he showed them the LionHeart…he even seemed afraid of the gunblade._ "What for? Why's he afraid of pointy objects?"

"His first mission was a failure…him and several others were doing body-guard duty for some rich person…and he was captured and tortured by some SeeD haters. They…they cut him all over his body, slashed bits of flesh and skin off…it was horrible when we managed to rescue him…" Her voice quivered. "What…what are you going to do to him?"

Zell stood up straight, re-tightening the towel around his waist. He looked down at his hands. "I…I don't know. I suppose we'll just have to wait and see."

"Please…don't kill him."

The words were weak, and even if she had screamed them at him, they would have fallen on deaf ears. Grey was destined to be taken down by Zell's hands – that Zell was certain. "I'll try…" he said, to ease her worries. "…But I'm not making any promises."

"He'll…he'll know I've talked to you. He always knows." She stepped forward. "I might die in the next round…if I do…"

Zell rolled his eyes. "You won't die. You're too good for that."

She shook her head. "I'm going to die…but I want you to know…that it's been good…getting to know you. You've been…my idol…ever since I saw you, three years ago…" The tears became too much for her to bear, and she suddenly turned and ran out of the room.

Zell watched her go but made no attempt to stop her. What had been a fantasy for her had horribly come to a shocking conclusion – he had set his boundaries, and no matter how hard she would push at them, he would hold them up. He already had someone in his life…and nothing would come between what they had formed.

Angel poked her head out from around the door, her hair wet from the shower. "Who was that, Zell? I thought I heard yelling."

"It was nobody, love…nobody…"

*          *            *

Zell was preparing for his match, his fists tightly covered with the Uber Ehrgiez Gauntlets, his legs crossed and his eyes closed. Almost every other match he had performed in before had been without him meditating. The actual meditation didn't affect his performance one bit – it simply cleared his mind, strengthening his resolve. Angel sat in front of him, watching his face and body intently. It was reputed that whenever Zell could be bothered to meditate before a major battle or bout, he never moved one inch, always staying in one spot. It was said that he could sense everything around him, right down to the heat emitting from a pot of hot coffee and the button you are about to press on the remote control.

Right now he was about to show off his skill. "Squall's coming down the hall, Angel." He said suddenly, making Angel start with surprise. "Be a doll and open the door for him, please."

She did as he said, getting up out of her own _lotus_ position and moving to the door, opening it and looking out. Squall had his hand just where the doorknob would be, and looked down at her with muted shock. "He's meditating, huh? I hate it when he does that…"

Angel nodded up at her Commander, and tilted her head to one side. "Do yo wanna talk to him, or do you wanna come back later?"

"No. Just tell him to turn the TV on to the channel with the Tournament broadcasting. July and Grey are about to start, and I think he'll want to watch the results."

She nodded and he turned succinctly and left, her shutting the door. She turned around to face Zell, who hadn't moved an inch. "I heard." He said quietly as she opened her mouth. "Turn the TV on to channel thirty-five."

She did as she was told, moving around him and grabbing the remote control from the bedside dresser. She looked around the room, but didn't see where the TV was. Shrugging, she pressed the 'on' button, and a large TV emerged slowly form the roof, just a few feet from the end of the bed. Clambering up onto the fluffy sheets, she switched the channel to thirty five, the words 'Esthar Sports' flashing on the screen before the picture took over.

A commentator stood, microphone in hand, next to the transportation device that would take the fighters to the designated battle zone, and was talking to the camera. "…And the next fighter is known as Grey, another White SeeD." He turned to Grey, who was sitting quietly on the device, one leg folded over the other, his arms crossed defiantly. The commentator bravely shoved the microphone in his face. "So, Mr. Grey, what do you think the outcome of the battle will be?"

Grey looked up at the man with daggers in his eyes, but answered the question. "I'll win. July will lose. It's that simple."

"Do you see any difficulty in defeating your comrade?"

"I foresee no difficulty…"

"How do you feel, fighting your friend? Fighting the person you've trained beside for years?"

"I feel nothing. She is a contestant, just like I am, and we were drawn to fight together. I wouldn't feel any different if I was fighting Zell Dincht, or Clara Justice."

"But…this girl is your friend? You're comrade?"

"Yes…"

"How do you feel to know that you're going to be fighting against someone who has defended you in battle many times before?"

Grey looked at the man now. "I don't feel anything at all."

The commentator and Grey locked eyes for a second, before the commentator straightened up, clearing his throat and facing the camera. "Well…very stoic words from Grey. We'll be back after these short messages."

Angel suddenly realised that Zell was sitting next to her, watching the screen with interest. "So, who do you think will win?" she asked him, draping an arm over his shoulders.

He snuggled in closer and rested his head against her tiny shoulder. "It's pretty close. July is good at magic, but Grey is good at physical attacks. Grey scored higher in the tally, however, which signifies how much these guys underestimates magic."

"Yeah…by the way, how's your little thing?"

Zell looked down at the little wristwatch. "It's still not done yet, which is a bit unnerving…but it's almost done, or at least it says it's almost done." He lifted it up for her to see the little red dial. "See? Almost done."

"Good…oh! It's back on!!"

They both looked up at the screen as the advertisement for dog-food finished to be replaced with the faces of July and Grey. A voice-over man spoke as their statistics ran under the mug shots. "The White Angel VS Brutal Grey, both White SeeDs, both fighting for the final round! Both have an equal share of winning the round, but only one will emerge the victor! Who will win?! We're about to find out."

*          *            *

July stepped off the device and moved away from it to give it a bit of extra room for take-off. The Estharian landscape surrounding them was barren and coloured a rocky red, the dust staining the bottom of her white shoes. She bent down to re-tie them, making sure the knots are firm.

Grey stepped off the device and moved away too, walking away slowly, his arms still crossed in a defiant matter, as if he didn't want to be there.

They both watched as it lifted off the ground with a hum and took off at astounding speed, their final chance to back out of the pain about to come vanishing in the distance as quickly as it had brought them there.

You could just see Esthar City on the horizon, flickering with blue light and glinting brightly in the morning sun.

July checked to make sure that her gloves were snug, and took her position, her legs just a little out of shoulder length, her left arm bent behind her back, her right extended out, her jaw set.

Grey still stood with his arms crossed, his light-grey clothing form the night before traded for some darker grey ones. He wore no gloves. "Last chance to back out, July." He muttered. "You can still run back to Dincht. Not that he'll be able to protect you."

July blinked, but kept her stance. "Just…tell me why, Grey. Why betray us?"

Grey smirked at her comment, and uncrossed his arms, tilting his head to the side, his neck cracking loudly. "Why did Stern Timel climb the mountains of Galbadia??" He muttered, taking his own stance. "Because they were there."

*          *            *

"I have no idea what they are talking about, folks, but it looks like they're about to get underway!"

Angel looked down at Zell. "What did he mean, 'run back to you'?"

Zell squirmed slightly. "She's got a bit of a crush on me…I've been fighting her off me ever since we met…"

Angel 'humph'ed the remark and settled back a little further into the cushions.

"Nothing happened, I swear!!"

Her sour face didn't move as Grey suddenly launched at July, his battle-cry ringing loud and clear through the ear-pieces.

*          *            *

Grey's punch flew wide as the faster July strafed to the right, the left sailing way past her head. She savoured the surprised look on Grey's face, before kicking up with a white sneaker, catching him just under the chin and sending him flying back.

He flew back with the blow, having only just lifted his head enough for the attack to be a glancing blow, and flipped off his hands to his feet, landing on all fours like a cat. He rubbed his chin with his hand, smiling wickedly. "So, you're better then I thought…"

July resumed her former position. "I'm better then I look."

He smirked, before attacking once more, this time running forward, his fist sailing out – allowing her to fall for the feint, catching a leg with a foot and sending her sprawling to the dusty red ground.

She fell gracefully, catching her balance at the last second by extending her leg out, falling down into the splits and sending a jab into Grey's stomach.

He staggered back, his breath knocked out of him, watching as she raised herself from the position using only her legs. She stood up straight and frowned. "Stop playing with me, Grey. You're better then this."

Grey stopped pretending to grasp his stomach and stood straight, smirking. "You're exactly right, July." He said – suddenly beside her, his fist buried deep within her stomach. "I _am_ better then this."

*          *            *

Zell sat up straight. "No way! That looked like…"

"…You're Meteor Barrett!" Angel ended, her gasp simultaneous with Zell's.

*          *            *

July seemed to cough, spewing a little blood – before the laws of physics caught up with her, launching her from Grey's fist and into the air, gravity only gently grasping her and pulling her down to the ground where she skipped, bounced, and finally lay still, her blond hair undone form her pony tail and strewn all over, her pure white clothes now stained red with Esthar's rocks and her own blood.

Grey began to walk forward, his laughter echoing around the landscape. "C'mon, July!" He yelled. "You're better then that!"

His vote of confidence was rewarded when July coughed, before lifting herself up shakily to her feet. "There you go…" Grey mocked, walking up to her as she struggled to regain some composure. Grey walked forward, slapping the left she threw at him aside and slamming his head into hers, the sickening crack as her nose broke seeming to echo around the landscape just as Grey's laughter began to die down.

She cried out in pain and began to fall backwards, but Grey grabbed her shirtfront and hammered his head into her face once more, another sickening crack emitting from the bloody mess, before he twisted her around and threw her away as casually as he would throw away an empty soda can.

She twisted through the air as he let go, however, and released a Fira at his face, the attack catching him off guard. The blast threw them aside – Grey flying back from the brunt of the attack, July still flying through the air form his toss – and they landed simultaneously with opposing 'whump's.

Grey was the first to stand on his feet groggily, shaking his head as the last of the fire died down, his face and upper body scorched, his shirt in burnt tatters. July managed to wrestle herself to her feet too, running a hand over her face, the green light of the Cura seeming to make her nose pop back into joint as easily as clicking two Lego pieces together.

"So, you wanna play like that, huh?" Grey growled, baring his teeth in an animal snarl as he set his arms at his side, his biceps suddenly bulging as he tensed every muscle in his body.

July widened her eyes, and immediately threw up her Shell.

Grey suddenly threw his arms out, the Quake rippling through the ground towards her at a mile a minute. The earth beneath her trembled violently, as if Gaia herself was unhappy with her presence, but the Shell kept her level, minimising her injuries as she bounced around the moving earth.

When the Quake stopped, July shook her head and looked up – to see Grey running towards her with astounding speed, his feet making tiny clouds in the ground – to launch a knee attack into her belly, lifting them both up and off the ground. Grey grabbed her shoulders and bent her down, so he landed on top, and he rode her over the rocky ground as if she was a sand board.

The pain was excruciating for July, and she screamed with pain as she managed to flip up and over, tossing Grey off her and causing them to switch places, him now underneath her as their ride came to a halt. She took the initiative; smashing two fists into his face, king hitting him for all she was worth, before her slapped her aside with a backhanded fist, knocking her off him and onto the ground once more.

He climbed onto her back and pinned her arms to the ground, grabbing a fist full of her shiny blond locks and lifting her head up off the ground…before _slamming_ it down violently, her cries of agony only making him smash her face down harder and harder, a puddle of blood forming as her cries got weaker.

*          *            *

"My Hyne…" Angel whispered, gripping Zell's arm tentatively as she watched the fight go on, the surveillance bee's hovering in for a closer look. "…He's going to kill her…"

Zell watched on silently, his gauntleted hand gripping the remote tightly as he listened to July cry out once more.

*          *            *

Grey lifted her head up once more, showing the bee her mangled face, before letting it drop to the ground with a wet 'splut'. He pushed himself off her and cracked his knuckles, before spitting on her unmoving body. "Get the medics over." He muttered, turning away form her and moving back to where the transport would arrive.

He didn't see July open her one good eye, or sense the Curaga as she allowed it to flow through her body. He only felt it as she suddenly jumped up onto his back, like a monkey, wrapping her arms and legs around him. He grunted as he fell forward, landing on his face with all the grace and skill of a falling tree.

Quickly jumping up to her feet, July grabbed her left hand with her right and pointed the palm at Grey, the power growing to immense heights before she screamed the activating word. "_Meltdown!_"

The non-elemental blast rocked the ground as it burrowed deep into the earth, creating a gigantic tunnel as the massive energy cu through the sun-hardened bed-rock and granite as if it was a hot-knife through butter.

The attack was to no avail, however, as July suddenly felt a tap on her shoulder. Blinking in surprise, she twisted her head to see Grey, his hand held up and fingers spread, his palm almost touching her back as she felt the heat. "Surprise!" He yelled over the noise of the Meltdown, before snarling and gripping the raised hand with the other. "_Flare!"_

She had no defence against it, the Meltdown attack not finished yet. She could only take the brunt of the massive Fire elemental as it pummelled into her back like a train smashing into a brick wall, her body seeming to withstand the immense pressure for a split second – before she was picked up and carried across the fighting arena by the powerful magic, her screams the only sound carried over the roar of the Flare as it burned straight through her cloths and licked at her flesh.

*          *            *

Zell watched it all with a snarl on his face, his grip tightening and tightening on the remote – before it shattered with a resounding smash, the plastic and copper wiring flying all over the place as he suddenly stood, his fists bundled tightly at his sides as he looked at the screen. "He's playing with her! He could have knocked her out and finished her off at the start, but he's not! He's intentionally torturing her!!"

His bracelet suddenly beeped, and he grabbed it and pressed own on the flickering button. It was like a sudden rush of adrenaline, everything pouring back, every junction returning to its original place, every GF taking his or her separate place in his brain. He welcomed it back with pleasure, seeming to draw it all in with one big breath…before wrenching the device from his wrist and crushing it with one squeeze.

Angel was at his side in an instant, looking at the glint in his eyes. "Zell…what are you going to do…"

But her words fell on deaf ears as Zell kicked down the door of the Estharian apartment and vanished in a flash of red light.

*          *            *

At the end of a large funnel dug out of the ground, lay July, her bright white cloths a thing of the past, tatters from the massive Flare attack. The ground around her had been melted into glass, and the Shell she had managed to put up at the _very_ last second still flickered around her weakly, before dying completely.

She picked herself up from the rubble, throwing rocks off her body painfully as she stood on trembling feet once more, not wanting to give up. Her blond hair had been burnt down, her long tresses now only reaching her neck. Her breath came in short gasps, and she gulped at them like a newly caught Balamb fish.

She watched, painfully, as Grey walked through the smoking rubble towards her, unable to run, only barely able to stand. She put up her fists weakly, defiantly to the last breath.

He stopped before her, placing a hand on a hip, surveying what he saw. "Hyne, July…" he muttered, emotion suddenly in his voice. "You're a wreck."

He walked forward, and she pawed her chest pitifully in a vain attempt to fend him off, but all he did was push her arms down and embrace her, like a brother would do a sister. Her breaths began to slow as her defiance began to waver, and she relaxed in his strong grip. He began to brush her hair back, looking down at her. "Relax, July, relax…" he murmured softly…before twisting her head back violently, the snap seeming to report a loud as a gunshot.

*          *            *

The Haste magic seemed to flow around him without thinking as he ripped through the building, ducking in rooms and through corridors without anybody noticing him except for the red trail he left behind. Snapping through a doorway, he suddenly screeched to a halt as he looked at a TV. He was in the cafeteria, and everyone's head was turned to the TV screen.

He watched Grey drop July as if she was a rag doll, allowing her to fall to the ground limply, her head lolling to the side, her pink tongue sticking out of her mouth. The commentator seemed to sigh, his voice saddened almost beyond belief. "And…that's that fight done. Grey is the winner, after a valiant effort by The White Angel."

Zell fell to his knees and smashed a fist into the ground, the floor beneath him rocking with his fury.

*          *            *

How's this folks? A little prelude to the major battle coming up, Zell VS Clara.

And now is the question to ask yourself – is Grey really the Assassin? Or am I finally pulling your chain to give you one last twist before looping the plot around your neck and throttling you with it?

Hey! If you really like my style of writing, go and check out some of my FictionPress stuff, especially the story SuperNatural! If you like Tournament, you'll definitely like SuperNatural, especially the double Vincent fight scene! (That one rules, check it out)

Semper Fi!!

Michael Kenny

PS – In relation to the use of Meteor Barrett by Grey – anybody ca read Combat King. Also, can you find the little reference to an FFX character in this chapter? Little hint – Grey says it!


	24. Round 4 Zell VS Clara

Ch 24 – Round 4 – Zell VS Clara

Zell watched Grey turn from July's unmoving body and begin to walk back to the transport area, his face grim as death.

Zell pulled his fist from the hole he had bashed into the floor and stood up, unnaturally quiet as every person turned to him. Looking up at the screen with narrowed eyes, he burned a brilliant red – before vanishing through the door, leaving a red vapour trail behind him.

*          *            *

Back in the suite Angel ran out the door into the corridor, running down the hall to Irvine and Selphie's room. She banged on the door impatiently, watching as Zell's trail began to dissipate.

Selphie opened the door, rubbing her eyes sleepily. She was wearing pyjamas with little chocobos on them, her usually straight brown hair ruffled from sleep. "Angel? What time is it?"

"It's just turned ten. Selphie…July is dead."

"What?!" Selphie cried, now fully awake. "You mean her fight is already over?!"

Angel watched as Selphie began to play with the hem of her nightshirt nervously. "This is bad…really bad…" She muttered, causing Angel to frown.

"Why? What's going on?"

Selphie blinked, and looked up at Angel with guarded eyes. "Nothing…"

Angel frowned, placing a hand on the doorframe. "Selphie! Something is going on, and I wanna know! Zell's been beating himself up over it ever since the Tournament started, and he wont tell me!"

"Maybe cause you don't need to know."

Selphie's haughty words were like slap in the face for Angel, and she balled her fists and thrust them to her sides, her hands trembling with anger. "Now look! I've had my boyfriend killed, beaten, and poisoned, I've almost been killed, and I think about now I need to know!!"

"No…you don't."

Irvine walked up behind Selphie, placing a hand on her shoulder and looking down at Angel. His chest was bare, his red hair undone and draped loosely over his shoulder. "You wanna find out what's going on? Talk to Commander Squall. I'm sure he'll be able to figure out wether or not you're on a need to know basis. But until then…" He reached out and grabbed the door handle. "Stop bothering us."

The door slammed shut in Angel's face, and she turned and leaned against it weakly. "What's going on…?" she muttered to the empty corridor.

*          *            *

Zell's feet made craters in the ground as he traced his way to the fight site, where Grey was waiting. Simply bounding over the electronic boundary fence, his mind burning with the image of July's broken and bleeding body lying lifeless on the floor, he smashed through rocky hills and the occasional monster.

Finally reaching his destination, he over shot, skidding straight past a surprised Grey and running directly into a rocky cliff, the red rocks tumbling around him as he promptly destroyed the mountain.

Grey was smirking when Zell blasted his way clear, and didn't move when Zell advanced. He spoke, however, when Zell pulled back, his fist raised high in the air to remove Grey's face from its foundations. "I wouldn't do that if I was you."

Zell _just_ managed to stop himself, his Uber Ehrgiez Gauntlet glinting in the morning light as his fist trembled within. "And why shouldn't I?" he growled through gritted teeth, his eyes shooting lasers into Grey calm gaze.

"Because…you'll never find out."

"Find out what?"

"Why."

Zell screamed then, his yell echoing throughout the landscape as loudly as any monster could possible roar, and released his fist, throwing it at Grey's head with unbelievable speed. The Firaga that erupted from his fingertips roared past Grey's head, smashing into the ground a few miles away and exploding brilliantly. Grey's look of surprise quickly turned to one of smugness, his smile forming slowly on his face as the debris crumbled around them.

Zell moved forward them, grasping Grey's tattered remnants of shirt and lifting him up by them, shaking him with one hand. "Why'd you kill her, Grey?! She wasn't a threat!"

"She knew too much."

Zell threw him down then, Grey only barely able to land on his feet. Zell allowed him to regain his balance before shoving his finger in his face. "You listen to me. You're not going to get to Ma, you're not going to get to Angel, and you're definitely not going to get to Justice!" His ultimatum served, Zell turned and began to walk away from the White SeeD, his rage only barely suppressed.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Zell stopped dead, his spine suddenly freezing as his eyes widened. The tone of Grey's voice said it all. He had no clue what Zell was talking about.

Zell turned slowly, watching Grey carefully, his voice cautious. "You know exactly what I'm talking about." He said accusingly, pointing at Grey one more. "Don't deny it."

Grey crossed his arms. "Dincht, if I'm going to attack anyone, it's going to be you. Why would I want to kill your mother and whoever this Angel person is? And in case you've forgotten, we both have a common goal here. To stop…ah, what's the point? You obviously suffered a concussion the last round with Emily or something."

_Oh Hyne._ "Why were you seeing Emily late at night?" Zell said suspiciously, not wanting to deny the truth. _It has to be him. Hasn't it?_

"That's none of your damn business."

Grey looked away slightly, in the direction where the transport was supposed to be arriving any minute. Zell began to walk forward, recognising the guarded tone in the now off-balance Grey, his eyes darting from Zell to the pickup area back to Zell. _He wants out. I've backed him into a corner._ "You've been seeing Emily…late at night…July told me…"

Grey grimaced, before reaching up and pulling out his earpieces.  Moving them to the same hand, he crushed them easily, before looking up at Zell. "I told you – that's none of your business."

"She also told me about what you did – the knife, Grey. She told me about the knife."

Zell suddenly jumped forward, his hand easily reaching out and tearing the shirt off Grey's chest. The grey material in a gauntleted hand, Zell stepped back in horror.

Scars adorned his chest, the multitude larger then Zell would ever have. There were long thin ones, large jagged ones, deep cavernous ones – there were ones that looked like someone had cut a jagged chucks out of his body – and Grey looked at Zell with malice in his eyes. "Satisfied?" He spat.

"Hyne…" Zell gasped. Compared to Grey, Zell's body was no more then covered in cat scratches. Grey looked like he had gone toe-to-toe with a Berserk Behemoth – and barely survived.

Grey crossed his arms again. "They tied me to a board of wood and taunted to me as they cut bits and pieces off. There was one who had this thing with the knife – he's stab it in, twist it a bit so it'd carve a symbol on the bone underneath, then cut off the chunk of flesh to see if he had done it right." There was no emotion in Grey's voice as he spoke. He continued as if he was rattling off the weather report. "When the others rescued me…three month later…I was barely alive, no even able to speak from the constant use of Full-Lives and Hi-Potions they had used on me. I was in de-tox for almost a year afterwards, to ease out of the drug they had forces into me to keep me alive and screaming."

He looked at Zell now, the malice behind his eyes hidden behind the memories. "I screamed so loud I couldn't even recognise my own voice, Dincht…" He looked down at the floor, his bottom lip trembling. "But I never gave them anything. Even when I was high from the drugs they pumped into me, I neve talked. I was strong, and I never gave up. But when I was rescued, I couldn't even look at a butter knife without crumbling like a child…"

"And then I found a way to stop it. Kill off my emotion. Show nothing but the hatred that the world deserved. That's how I was able to kill July without a heavy heart. And that's how I've been able to glean some information out of Emily...even when she suggested using the knife in our sessions."

Zell shook his head. "I'm sorry for what's happened to you…but July didn't deserve death."

"Really?" Grey asked. "Then answer me this. Why did you think the assassin was me?"

Zell blinked. "You're…you're more powerful then July…you threatened Justice at the selection…you always seem to have your head up your ass when it came to your power…"

Grey snorted. "Ok. Reasonable enough. But it's all circumstantial. Why did you _really_ think I was the Assassin?"

Zell looked at his boots, his eyes narrowing. "Because nobody except a SeeD would have the training or the experience to take out a President and fade into the background." He admitted to himself, admitting the thing he had been denying the whole time.

Grey smiled. "Exactly."

Zell shook his head. "But…that just incriminates you further! You have motive, you have training…"

"C'mon! Did you really think I was dealing with Deling the whole time?!"

Zell looked up, his face full of shock. "Deling?!"

Grey frowned slightly, taking a step back. "You don't know anything, do you? You've been stabbing around in the dark the whole time." 

The transport suddenly arrived, several medics jumping off and sprinting in the direction of July's corpse. Grey shook his head sadly and stepped onto the transport. "You disappoint me, Hunter. I thought you would have been deeper in then you are. It looks like it's up to me to find the SeeD who's gunning for Justice."

And the transport sealed. Then took off.

Leaving Zell standing by himself in the Estharian plains, his mind a tumble, his soul ripped to shreds.

*          *            *

The door to the apartment opened, and Zell walked in, his face more despondent then it had been at the fight area.

"Zell!!" Selphie cried, standing from where she had been sitting with a crying Angel and walking up to him. "Where the hell have you been?! Do you have any idea how worried Angel has been?!"

_Are you the Assassin?_ "…Sorry, Selphie."

Irvine walked out of the bathroom, the toilet flushing behind him as he stepped out. "Hyne, man, where have you been?! Your match starts in an hour!!"

_Are **you** the Assassin?_ "…Sorry, Irvine."

Angel stepped forward, her eyes red, sniffling as she looked up at his stony face. "Zell…what's wrong?"

_Apart form the fact that I can't even trust my own friends? Apart from the fact that I can't trust anybody? Apart from the fact that I can't even trust **you**?_ "…Nothing, hon. Everything's peachy."

Selphie walked up to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Zell…something's wrong. I know it."

"Nah, nothing's wrong guys. I'm fine! Seriously. I just had to go and see if July was alright."

Irvine stepped forward. "And?"

Zell looked down and shook his head, before looking up at them. _Is that relief or regret on your faces?_

Angel stepped forward. "What is going on, Zell? Selphie and Irvine wont tell me anything, and Commander Squall just brushes me off whenever I try to ask!!"

Zell stepped forward with a huge sigh and wrapped his arms around her, looking up at Selphie and Irvine. "Can we have a few minutes, guys?"

Selphie paused before nodding, but Irvine stepped forward. "Zell…the less she knows, the less she is to be hurt."

"She's already had an attempt on her life, Irvine! I think she's in deep enough already, don't you?"

The force of his words took Selphie and Irvine back a bit, but they left without any more questions, Irvine shutting the door quietly behind them. Zell then walked Angel over to the bed, not realising her from his grip until he turned and sat down, their position having her in his lap.

She placing her hands on his shoulder and looked at him. "What's going on, Zell? You come in here looking at us accusingly, and now you look sad. What's going on!? I need to know!"

He looked down at her pretty face, her smooth cheeky red from crying, her little button nose as it sniffed cutely, her full bottom lip trembling slightly as he continued to stare at her. _No. I wont accept that it's you. You're not even a SeeD – you have no idea what is going on. I wont accept that it's you._ "Baby…I've had some weird things happen while I was away."

*          *            *

They both sat on the edge of the bed, Angel's arms tightly around his neck in the tightest hug she had ever given him as she cried into his shoulder. He had told her everything – July, Watts, Shooting Star, the two times he had actually spoken to the Assassin – everything.

When she was finished she sat back and wiped her nose with one of her petite hands, placing them on his chest as she looked at his shirt. He shook his head and kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry, honey. I should have never tried to protect Laguna in the first place. I should have just entered the Tournament as a single candidate." He shook his head again and punched his fist into the bed. "I should have done a lot of things, dammit!!"

She looked up at him. "All that…and you never told me…no wonder you were so clammed up when you came home…you were beating yourself up inside…"

He shook his head once more and sighed, closing his eyes and bowing his head, feeling more defeated then ever. "I'm sorry honey."

He felt her brush her smooth palm over his chin, and felt her place a soft kiss on his lips. "Don't get sorry, baby. Get even…right?"

He opened his eyes and looked down at her. She was smiling through her tears. "You have exactly five minutes before you have to go to the fight. Are you ready?"

He paused. _What's she going to do?_ "Yeah…I'm ready."

She placed her hands around him once more and hugged him again. "Then you go and win this one, and we'll come back here afterwards and figure it all out, OK?"

He smiled down at her. "Yeah."

*          *            *

The trip down to the warm-up tent was a silent one, as Zell pondered Angel's final words to him, trudging through the rocky plains with both hands in his pockets, opting to walk instead of catching the air-ship with Squall and the rest.

_Don't get sorry, baby. Get even…right?_

"Is that what I've been doing this whole time?" He muttered to himself. "Searching for the Assassin in the wrong places?" He narrowed his eyes. "Was Watts wrong?"

He shook his head. "C'mon, Dincht, snap out of it. You can't fight with all this stuff bouncing around in your head. First thing to do when this is over is to track down Grey and pump him for info. Then we all get together and figure out who's who."

He nodded to himself. _Right. Time to rock._

Pulling his hands from his pockets, red fire flamed out around him as the Haste magic did its work.

*          *            *

Clara was waiting into the warm-up tent when Zell finally arrived, and she looked up from her meditation, her legs folded neatly beneath her. She didn't say anything as he sat down – she simply resumed her trance.

Zell looked down at her with a smile. He used the same meditation technique.

"What's so funny?" Clara muttered, her meditation causing her senses to be hypersensitive, like Zells.

"Nothing…"

Clara shook her head and sighed, before opening her eyes and looking up at him. "Why is it I can't rile you like all my other opponents?" She said, half to herself, half to Zell.

He simple shrugged with a warm grin. "You do – I just don't let it get to me."

For some reason she was slightly agitated, and this small show of weakness intrigued Zell, making him forget all about his own troubles for a second. He assessed her, looking over her with a new eye.

She had brown hair down past her shoulders tied into an even ponytail, and was dressed in a bright green shirt with matching pants. She was pretty, but not anything special – the 'girl next door' kind of pretty. Bright green eyes looked up at him, intelligent and methodical, warrior's eyes. Right now they looked anxious, even a little scared.

Zell's grin wavered a little. "Is everything alright? You don't look good."

Clara set her jaw and looked down; breaking the stare she had been building. "I'm fine, thank you." She said abruptly.

Zell shrugged again and began to loosen his arm and leg muscles, pulling a limb this way and that to loosen the muscles and ligaments.

He paused suddenly as Clara stood, turning her back to him. "Dincht…"

"Yeah?"

"Why are you really here?"

Zell had to think quickly. The question had come right from left field, right from the blue. There had been no warning, before the question, and she asked it as if she already knew the answer. "Why do you think I'm here?" he countered slowly, figuring that he wouldn't have been able to bluff his way out of the question truthfully.

Her back was still turned to him, but her shoulders sagged slightly, as if the answer had been a physical blow. "I thought so…" She muttered.

Zell stood up straight, rolling his shoulders around. "Does he know?"

She shook her head.

"Then he doesn't need to worry. The less he knows, the less reason he has to panic when we nail this sucker."

"Do you know who it is?"

Zell was silent.

"For all I know, you could be him…" She snorted a small laugh. "…But I know it's not you. You don't have the heart."

She shook her head and walked around to face him, sitting down on one of the benches that skirted the room, resting her elbows on her knees. "You know, I'm not his biological daughter…I'm adopted. I always thought of him as a weak old man, too kind for his own good…I figured that he would see his time in office through with no ill action, that he would retire peacefully and we would be able to move out of Deling and to someplace quiet…but now…"

"You're talking like he's already dead."

She snorted again. "You have no clue who it is. I don't have a clue. He might as well already be dead." Her head lowered a little further. "And now one of us is going to die. Die for something worthless."

"We wont have to die."

She shook her head. "No. I might be talking to you like a comrade here, now, before – but when we leave this tent we'll be enemies, sworn to fight one another until one of us is defeated. And this far into the Tournament…someone will die."

She finally lifted her head to look at him, hr green eyes shining. "Tell me you'll hold nothing back. Tell me you'll fight with all your strength." _Tell me you'll kill me._

Zell looked down at her, before shaking his head. "I can't promise that, Clara. A fighter I may be…but I will not euthanise anybody." _I cannot._

She shook her head and lowered it once more. "I'll hold nothing back. You're death will be final then." She sighed. "I just wished I knew who it was. Why they're going to do what they're going to do."

"We'll find out later…after our fight."

Clara laughed out loud at that. "You're such a hopeless romantic, Dincht. I thought it would be sad to kill you…but I think I might have some enjoyment in wiping your soul from the earth."

"I think you wont." The girl looked up at him, at the way he said the words, his tone as lifeless as a rock, his arms crossed as he looked down at her, his eyes blank. "You wont, because, deep down, you're also like me. Not wanting to kill, but having to. I know, because you love a man who hasn't only brought you up, but has also returned the love not only to you, but also to all the people of Gaia."

Her face was one of anger, at an unrelenting fury that she only barely managed to conceal. His small speech had just ripped away all the mental covering she had placed, laying her emotions out like a rape victim. "How dare you say that…you have no idea who I am…"

"I don't. But I do know how you feel. Bottling your feelings up. Portraying a stoic view on the world. I know, because I've had to deal with people like you before. I've seen what can happen when the loneliness gets to them, tearing them up inside. And I've brought them back from the brink."

She stood roughly and pushed him aside, stalking from the tent with a burning anger.

He watched her go, and sighed. _A hopeless romantic? Maybe I am…_

_Romantics are the speakers of the soul, my boy. Remember that._

_Ifrit?_

There was a dead silence in Zell's head as the GF chose not to answer.

*          *            *

Zell and Clara watched as the transport took off, tearing down the landscape to disappear into the horizon. Zell turned to see Clara double-checking her own gauntlets, making sure they were snugly on.

"Who do you think it is?" Zell had to ask.

"It doesn't matter anymore." She muttered back, finishing off her check and looking up at him. "You wont live long enough to put it to good use."

"Indulge me."

She rolled her eyes in annoyance, and placed her hands on her hips. "If you must know, I figured it to be one of you SeeDs. Seeing as two White SeeDs are incapacitated, and the whole Sorceress gang has just shown up, my sights have been on you for a while."

Zell nodded. _So, Grey was right…but the motive?_ "Do you know anything about defectors in the Galbadian Army."

She sneered at the comment. "All soldiers are put through stringent evaluations before they join, especially on patriotism. Any who are deemed unfit aren't even accepted."

"Have you ever thought that some soldiers are patriotic to your country – just not to your father?"

Clara blinked at the comment. "What do you mean by that!?"

Zell suddenly erupted from his spot, rocketing towards Clara with unhindered speed. The ground smashed underneath his feet as his step ground their way through the hard rock, and the fist that he threw into Clara's face blasted straight through her defences, kicking her head back unnaturally.

Amazingly, she rolled with the attack, flipping backwards and onto her feet to swing an uppercut into the SeeD's face, rocking his head back. As his body twisted back, she jumped and twirled in mid air, the kick pummelling Zell's stomach twice before she landed.

He landed clutching his stomach and grimacing, and she grabbed his head with both hands. He looked up with a snarl as she head butted him viciously, knocking him onto the ground.

_Get up. NOW!_ His mind screamed, and he rolled to the side just as the Fira erupted form her fingertips, reducing the spot where he had laid to a smouldering mess. Flipping around on his fingertips, he swung his legs out and catched hers, bringing her to the ground. He took the opportunity to put some space between them, rolling backwards and coming up on his feet, launching himself back from her body.

He landed on his feet – and was smashed forward as she suddenly appeared behind him, the Haste magic glowing bright red around her as her elbow connected with his left shoulder-blade, sending a jarring pain through it, dislocating the arm cleanly.

He fell with a scream, but twisted through the fall and blasted her face with a Blizaga from his other hand, the ice forming around her and picking her up, flinging her far away. Zell landed with a whump on his dislocated arm and grunted with the agony, but flipped up to his feet professionally.

Looking down at his limp arm, his jaw set, he quickly grabbed the shoulder and gave it a shove. He felt the bone enter the socket and growled with the pain, his breath coming out in short bursts as the agony began to subside.

He looked up to see Clara running towards him once more, the red of the Haste burning around her as he watched her lift her fist and throw it into his face – 

To be caught at the last second, gauntlet smashing into gauntlet with an echoing 'ding!'. 

Zell pulled the fist aside with infinite slowness, smiling down at Clara as he saw the look of shock on her face as his own fiery red aura burst out around him.

What happened next happened so fast the surveillance bees were unable to follow. One second the fighters were standing still, Clara's grip arrested by Zell's metallic gauntlet – then they vanished, their movements only shown by what looked like a red haze emitting from the area. Shouts of pain and battle cries echoed around the area as the sounds of metal hitting flesh and cracking into bone emitting from nowhere, the fighters moving so fast they didn't even leave after-images – they simply disappeared.

Suddenly they appeared, their cloths torn and bloody, their faces and bodies covered in scratches and blood. Their hands were locked, fingers interlaced as they pushed against each other in a deadly battle of Mercy, their faces mere inches away from each other as they muscles burned and trembled.

Zell screamed into Clara's face as he pushed harder and harder, as if he was pushing into an unmovable wall – and Clara screamed back, her shrill siren calls meeting Zell's animal snarls with equal force and their arresting pushes.

Suddenly Zell pulled back, Clara's push causing her to stumble over him as he fell backward, and he kicked out, smashing her in the stomach and sending her flying up into the air. Landing on his back with a 'thump', he didn't waste any time following through with the manoeuvre – slamming the butts of his palms together with a metallic clang, he screamed out as the Thundaga shot out of his hands, the electricity lacing out and slamming straight into Clara, who's body jolted and twitched with the current as it traced through her body, licking over her skin and pulsing through her brain as gravity took hold once more and allowed her to fall.

She fell to the ground with all the grace of a rock, tumbling through the air like a rag doll – before twisting suddenly and landing on all fours, like a cat. She looked up at Zell with a devilish smile as the last of the Thundaga traced across her body, the electric current finally dying down, the powerful attack seeming not to have had any effect on her, in fact, seeming to _strengthen her_. "Thanks for the boost." She whispered, before launching herself at him.

_Shit! She absorbs Thunder Elementals!!_ Zell's mind screamed as Clara was on top of him, her powered up body slamming her fist into her stomach, causing him to cough up a gout of blood.

Gritting his bloody teeth, he replied to the attack with due force, slamming his fist into her stomach, causing the female fighter to vomit blood too. What followed next was a trading of blows, each fighter applying a little more force then their last attack, each blow slamming straight through each other's defences and causing great damage to the internal organs. The attacks were devastating, and for a short, painful moment the fight declined into who could last the longest. Zell finally finished the five-blow trade with a head butt, before slamming his palms onto Clara's chest, gripping her breasts bizarrely. "_Drain!" _he screamed.

Clara managed to slap Zell's touch to the side, but not before he drew in enough energy to boost his strength immensely. Setting his arms to his sides, he screamed at the ground, making his energy blast into unfathomable heights, before sucker-punching Clara right in the face, sending her flying backwards. Acting quickly, Zell grabbed her foot and twisted her around in the air, smashing her into the ground with all the force he could muster. Suffice to say, the ground crumbled as her body sailed through it with almost no interference.

Stepping back slowly, his breaths coming out in shallow gasps, he tried to focus himself, assessing his damage. The Uber Ehrgiez gauntlets had seen better days, dented and tarnished by her tough skin and the missed blows hammering into the rocks. His shirt was now in tatters, and he ripped it off defiantly, throwing it aside evenly and flexing his tanned muscles to get some more circulation going. His scarred skin was broken and bleeding, and he had a sneaking suspicion that he had accidentally swallowed a tooth. He was also covered head to toe in Estharian dust. He figured he would have to burn his remaining clothes in order to get the red out. No amount of washing would rid the red stains.

He watched cautiously as Clara pulled herself form the rubble, shaking her body to loosen any rocks that had might fallen down her shirt. Turning to face Zell, he saw that she was furious, her breaths also coming in short bursts, her face also dirty with the red Estharian dust as her snarling face stared up at him. He returned the glare with equal force, shaking his head to rid himself of any cobwebs and setting his stance, ready for anything.

She didn't attack immediately, however – stepping out of the hole Zell had create for her, she patted down her clothes, pushing her anger down to an acceptable level. "Interesting, Zell…" she muttered as she bent down to pat down her torn pants. "I haven't had this much of a challenge since…well, ever!"

"I'm honoured, believe me." Zell replied, his sarcastic tone not betraying the no-nonsense look on his face.

Clara stood up straight and sighed, smiling at him for the first time since the tally ceremony, a _real _smile, not a fake one or a cold one. "It pleases me to finally find a worthy opponent. Believe me when I say I will not have any pleasure in defeating you."

Zell smiled back, finally relaxing his stance. "Well…that's more like it…"

His smile faded, however, as he realised that Clara had managed to cover the small distance between them and bury her fist into his stomach in less then a second, her teeth bared as her metal fist twisted into his gut. Zell began to feel physics catching up on him, and he looked down at her, his face twisted in pain. "Does everybody know Meteor Barrett nowadays?" he choked.

She didn't, or couldn't, reply as he was launched form her fist and sent flying backwards, tumbling through the rubble that they had created to finally slam into a rocky outcrop with a grunt. His head flopped forward and blood spurted out of his mouth and nose, before he moved no more.

*          *            *

Clara took her time moving forward, picking her way through the rubble delicately, stepping over some rocks and skipping over others. She was in no rush. 

Her body glowed green briefly as she waked up to Zell's supine form, her cuts and internal wounds healing almost instantly thanks to the Curaga flowing through her veins.

She stopped before Zell, shaking her head disapprovingly. His back had shattered the rock that he rested against, and blood dribbled from his mouth and nose onto his chest, making a red trail down to pool around his belt. She clucked her tongue like a disappointed mother and grabbed Zell by the hair, lifting his head up to look at his face.

She didn't expect to see the bleeding visage suddenly open it's eyes and smile wickedly, and she felt a hand slam into her stomach. She took the blow graciously with her own smile, but that was wiped out as a burning sensation flowed from her stomach up her body, before it launched her away from him.

*          *            *

Zell smiled with exasperation as he watched his Firaga blow her back, allowing him enough time to heal up. Closing his eyes, he allowed his body to relax, the Curaga healing his wounds almost instantly – but not all of them.

He opened his eyes with surprise as he looked down at his chest, seeing the tiny nicks and cuts that should have been additions to his scar collection by now.

It was undeniable. He was beginning to lose power. The barrage that they had been throwing at each other was beginning to take its toll on his body. The magic would only work for so long.

His fatigue gone thanks to the Curaga, he quickly cast Cure to heal the smaller wounds and cricked his neck to the side, his face now set, his expression on of complete seriousness.

He watched as Clara began to run at him from where she had landed, rocketing towards him like he had done at the start of the match – but unlike him, she was unprepared for the sheer brutality that his serious mind created.

Slapping her gauntlet aside with a metallic clang, his own fist erupted into her face, sending her staggering back. Suddenly running forward, Zell punched her again and again, her feeble defences unable to withstand the barrage of attacks that he threw at her. Grabbing her hair with a hand, he punched her face like a ball and bat on a string, his punch flinging her head back only to be arrested by her strong, long hair, making her head rebound into his fist.

He rebounded her head again and again, before she finally blasted him with a Fire to desperately escape his iron grip. Mercifully, he let go, and she fell to the floor onto her bottom, looking up at him with wide eyes.

The Fire didn't even faze him, his body seeming to crackle with energy as he pulled all his stops out. "It isn't a game anymore." He muttered down at her.

"I see." She replied, wiping her bloody mouth, smearing the crimson on her gauntlet, and standing defiantly. "So I suppose we'll up the stakes."

Throwing her hands up high, she bellowed up into the air, the winds around them picking up with astounding speed. Zell looked about him as he sensed what would come up next, and threw up a Shell.

"_Tornado_!!" Clara screamed, the winds now picking up into a funnel of pressurised death, the sky above them seeming to darken with rain clouds as Zell tried desperately to keep the Shell intact.

Magical winds beat against the Shell insanely, attacking him from all sides, and Zell knew that if he dropped the Shell he would be picked up by the massive winds and thrown to Hyne knows where.

He fought desperately, barely able to keep his eye on the shape through the red winds that was Clara, until finally he couldn't hold on any longer, and the Shell crumbled around him. The winds picked him up instantly, and he was flung high up in the air, to tumble through the sky and land very, very hard.

*          *            *

The winds were beginning to settle just as a pile of rocks blasted upwards, revealing a very dishevelled Zell, dizzy from the twisting winds.

His dizziness wouldn't subside, and he groggily caste Esuna, the white and green light clearing his vision and returning his balance. He looked around to take his bearings. He seemed to have been flung far away from where Clara was – he could just see he on the horizon – but didn't see too worse for wear. He quickly looked down to check for anything broken.

He looked up, however, as he heard Clara screaming, and a bright light began to form around the area where she would have landed. The ground began to tremble with the power she was drawing…then it began to shake…then the earth began to crack and shift, the massive quantities of energy causing the very earth to shake to it's foundations. 

_She _is_ taking this seriously now. Well, if she wants to up the ante…_

Zell bared his teeth and growled like an animal, allowing instinct to take over as he set his stance, one leg pinned back, the other set before him. He slowly moved his left hand out to face where she was, setting the palm facing her and his fingers straight, lining up together, his thumb slightly bent inwards. Almost as an after thought, he used his right hand to grip the wrist of the left, to help absorb most of the shock from the gigantic feat he was about to perform.

He snorted his air through his nostrils as he called upon magic he had figured he would have never had to call again, watching the horizon begin to glow with a bright white light, the magic's fluxing aura just hitting him. He felt the Holy before it was launched, and he gritted his teeth as the ground beneath him began to shake with his own power.

The Holy was unleashed, the burning white light blasting from Clara's hands and bearing down on Zell with unimaginable speed. It sheared a clean path through the rocky ground, creating a super-smooth trench from the unbearable power.

Zell stood his ground, the rocks and ground snapping and crumbling as the paramagical energies emitting form him took it's toll on the physical world, his boots digging into the ground as he screamed the word, the power dumped in his hand and launched almost as quickly. _"Ultimaaaa!!"_

It was like someone had strapped a great magical gun into Zell's arm and pulled the trigger. His feet dug into the ground and smashed the rocks around him as the kick from launching the devastating attack pushed him backwards. He fought desperately not to fall backwards, and leaned forward into the attack, as if to make it go faster.

The Holy and the Ultima met somewhere in the middle, and the ground around it simply exploded, the atoms and molecules which bound them together simply unable to withstand such a vicious magical assault. It was pandemonium for the fighters as every single sense was assaulted – they felt the massive pressure from both opposing magic bearing down on their bodies, their ears were bleeding form the shrieking winds and massive explosions as the separate energies fought against each other. Their eyes burned from the light of the Holy and the deep darkness of the Ultima, their nostril were caked from the dust that survived some of the attack, and they could taste their blood as they both fought to keep the other's magic at bay.

Zell grimace began to turn into a guttural snarl as he pushed forward, smashing his feet into the ground, the wind slashing around him as he began to _step forward_, pushing the Ultima into Clara, giving her no place to go.

Clara had the same idea, however, and Zell had to stop as he felt her own pressure began to bear down on him. His power beginning to wane, he upped his outage, the beam of dark energy suddenly becoming a massive blast of supernatural power, the beam simply ploughing straight through the rocky ground.

Clara replying with due force, her own Holy attack doubling in size, until it seemed to grow bigger then Zell's Ultima, and Zell began to lean back with the attack, his arms burning as his very soul fought to keep the Ultima going, feeding it with all the paramagic he could muster.

_Come on, you pussy!!_ Diablos suddenly screamed in Zell's mind. _You can do better then that!!_

Spurred by Diablos' harsh words, Zell screamed a battle cry that echoed around the fighting area, lifting up and over the roar of the opposing magic's. His Ultima suddenly burst outward, the wave of energy instantly becoming a tsunami of pure dark energy, dwarfing Clara's Holy instantly and bearing down on it with unrelenting force.

*          *            *

The air was filled with debris as the attack finalised, the power crackling through the air finally dissipating with the last whisps of dark energy.

Zell lowered his arms slowly, his breaths coming in short gasps, his body seeming to have had every last bit of paramagical energy sucked out of him. He barely had the strength to stand, let alone move, and he leaned forward and placed his hands on his knees, allowing the last of the adrenaline to seep out of his mind. _Hyne…I've killed her…_Was the only thought in his mind as he slowly lowered himself to the floor, his breaths still coming in short bursts. _How many others must die before I find you?_

His shuddering breaths suddenly froze as he heard an echoed wail, a siren call that chilled his bones. He looked up, not wanting to know where it was coming from, but wanting to silence it all the same.

The landscape around him had been completely obliterated, the carnage from the Holy and Dark energies making it a disrupted and shattered plain. It looked like someone had dragged a large, jagged plough through the world, crushing the flat, rocky ground.

The wailing came from the site where the Holy had originated.

_My Hyne! She's still alive!!_

Standing abruptly, he began to stagger to her, tripping over the rocky ground and feeling his lungs begin to swell, his muscles burning with fatigue and he vaulted a large upturned rock.

Finally reaching her, he collapsed besides her, falling to his knees beside her in horror.

Her left arm had been completely sheared off, the wound ending just at her shoulder. Her clothes, like Zell's, were in tatters, and she was grasping the stump in a bid to kill the pain. She looked pitiful.

Zell blinked, his mind in a whirl. _Amazing! She survived!!_ "Don't…don't worry, Clara! I'll get the medics out here ASAP!!"

Her cries suddenly died, and she turned to him."Don't worry about it."

_Oh shit…_ Zell thought to himself as she pulled herself to her feet, seemingly unharmed. She looked down at him with a large grin. "It's being taken care of."

Zell suddenly sensed a new kind of magic, one that he had never felt before, and in a spurt of blood _another arm sprouted form the stump of her shoulder!_

He lowered his head in dismay. "Shit…you have Blue magic, don't you?"

Her chuckle was all of the answer he needed. 

"Should have know it was a Regen based magic…same as Sheran's, no doubt?"

"Right again, Zell. Unlike Emily, Sheran and I have _recovery based_ Blue magic. Not Status. You're going to have to rip all my limbs off to kill me. If you had paid attention to my fights you might have seen this…but now you're going to have to die."

He shook his head, punching the ground with sad anger. Weakened now, with her regaining strength with each second, he had only one card left to draw. "I didn't want to do this, Clara…" He muttered as he felt something move within him. "…But you leave me no choice."

Her sneer was interrupted as he stood, an unknown power seeming to lace off his body. "No way!" She gasped, taking a step back. "You should be exhausted from the Ultima!"

"You're right." He agreed, lifting his arms and balling his fists as the power began to build within him, a dark blue light beginning to emit from his body. "I am utterly exhausted…I feel like I can't take another step…"

He suddenly gritted his teeth. "But that's just the paramagical push I need to _defeat you!!_" He screamed, the ground around him blasting away as his Limit Break rose higher and higher, topping the levels he had previously showed and going beyond.

Electricity laced across his body as he lifted his head and screamed to the heavens, every muscle in his body tensing as the paramagical elements pushed and probed through his arms, his legs, his torso, even his head, causing a splitting headache and his scream to increase to a crescendo, causing Clara to take a step back in fear.

She suddenly turned and ran, jumping over the rocky ground in a bid to escape the sudden eruption of power that dwarfed hers, even at her full potential. She threw a look back at the light as it began to build, and watched it disappear – to reappear in front of her!

_He had moved so fast she hadn't even been able to see it!!_

"Going somewhere?" He muttered through gritted teeth as his body twitched with the excess energy. "You're not going anywhere, Clara. You're staying right _here!!_"

At the utterance of the last word, he suddenly attacked relentlessly, his fists and feet flying with supernatural speed, hammering her body into a bloody pulp as he continued to draw power from within himself, the attacks causing him to generate enough paramagic to pull off the final attack. Screams of 'Punch Rush', and, 'Booya', echoed in the destruction around them. 

Suddenly jumping back from her, he bent his body down and screamed, his power reaching it's maximum for the attack he desired. He looked up at her with malice.

_"Different Beat!!"_

Skidding forward, his feet barely touching the ground, he suddenly back flipped, his feet connecting with Clara's chin and causing her to rocket up into the air. Crouching down, he jumped up after her, flipping constantly to keep her in the air as they both rose higher and higher. His sneakers connected with her body again and again, accompanied by a wet thump or a jarring crack.

Finally flipping up above her body, the both of them suspended high up in thin air, time seemed to stop as Zell's sneaker suddenly flamed, pulling his body through the air with infinite slowness – before finally ripping itself through the atmosphere with all the ferocity of a meteor on a crash course with Gaia, the atmosphere burning around it as it pummelled into Clara's stomach.

They both crashed in the ground with a resounding boom, the crater smashing out from their landing going out for a good ten yards.

Clara was underneath Zell's smouldering sneaker, her body covered in blood and bruises as the push from the attack finally let up, allowing him to fall backwards onto the ground.

Using the last of his strength, Zell quickly reached over and pulled off the flaming sneaker and tossed it away, where it exploded harmlessly. He then lay back with a dusty thump, covered in sweat, caked in blood and red dust.

He was hyperventilating now, but he was feeling calm. He had survived to pass into the final round, and had managed to pull himself this far. He now somehow knew that he would see this to the end.

But he still had the night to worry about.

The surveillance bee suddenly interrupted his sight of the clear blue sky as it fluttered down to him to get a closer look. Realising that someone was blaring his name into his earpiece, he weakly lifted a hand in a fatigued salute. "I'm…I'm still here…"

_Mr. Dincht! You're awake! I thought we would have had to call a draw!!_

"What…what about…Clara…?"

Her vitals are still registering on the monitors, but she's unconscious and in REM. Congratulations, Mr. Dincht! You've survived to make it into the final round!!

"Congratulate…me…later." Zell said with a spluttered laugh. "Just…get us…a doctor…"

*          *            *

_Ladies and gentlemen! How did you like that? Cool, huh?_

_As of now, the Assassin contest has officially closed! You may enter in one final guess in your review of this chapter, but after that, no other guesses will be accepted. One guess who it is, and why you think it is them, and you're e-mail so I can contact you._

_The next chapter – The Assassin Attacks – will be a clincher. Questions will be answered, some truths will be revealed. The only question you must be asking yourself will be…_

_…is Grey really the Assassin?_


	25. The Assassin Attacks

Ch 25 – The Assassin Attacks

Zell lay on the bed in his suite with Angel, the last of the Curaga cast by her seeping through his body, returning him to his maximum strength.

"Woo…" he breathed, flipping up into a sitting position. "…Feels better when someone else does it. Thanks hon." He had been marginally healed by the field medics at the fighting area, requesting that he was escorted to his room as soon as possible. A nervous and worried Angel had taken him from the escort, who looked at the weakened Zell as if he was crazy, putting so much faith in the power of the little woman he passed the powerful warrior over to.

Angel smiled at him. "That's ok, but you'd better make sure you get some rest. You really put a strain on your paramagic out there. Try not to overdo it at the party tonight, ok?"

Zell looked at her with a confused frown. "Party?"

"Didn't you know? To celebrate the finalists. You and Grey are the guests of honour."

Zell shook his head and looked down at his hands, freed from their metallic restraints. "Grey doesn't deserve anything."

Angel bit her bottom lip, watching as Zell agonised over July's death. She pulled him into a warm hug, not allowing him to see her face. "What's…done is done, honey. You can't change it, and you couldn't have make it any different."

Zell said nothing.

*          *            *

The door suddenly opened, and Rinoa walked in. Rinoa wasn't one for subtly, and she usually barged in unannounced a lot – which usually made for an embarrassing scene. Right now she took one look at the position Angel and Zell was in, and about faced, her pretty face beginning to turn crimson. "Whoops!! Aiyaa, I'm sorry! I'll leave you guys alone…"

Angel giggled and looked up. "Don't worry, Rinoa. You can come in."

Zell smiled sourly. "But you could have knocked."

Rinoa scratched the back of her head and giggled uneasily. "Sorry guys…" Her face suddenly became serious as she looked at Zell, lowering her hand to clutch her opposite elbow. "Squall want's your report on what was said between you and Grey. He also wants to go over the plan for tonight. We're to meet in our room."

_That's right…the second night in Esthar was when the Assassin was supposed to attack…_ "OK. I'll be right there." Zell said, looking at Angel sadly. He didn't want to leave her so suddenly.

Rinoa smiled. "Angel can come too, silly. She's in this far, I suppose you'd better bring her along."

Angel beamed up at her. "Thanks Rinoa!!"

"Don't thank me, silly. Thank Squall! Although he would have been a lot happier if you had been kept in the dark about this thing…"

Zell smirked. "Well, tell Squall that his happiness is about as readable as his disappointment. The guy could at least make some facial expressions or something…"

Rinoa giggled at that, before clucking her tongue at them and walking out, dismissing the verbal jab at her Knight with a wave of her hand.

Zell shook his head. "Well, baby, I suppose you're going to get a first hand look at how the pros do stuff!" He looked down at his dirty and bloody body. "But first I suppose I'd better get cleaned up!"

Angel shook her head and laughed. "Yeah! I suppose we'd better call the maid or something about the sheets too!!" She giggled, gesturing to the Zell shaped red stain on the expensive sheets.

Zell just face-palmed and groaned. _I bet that's coming right out of my salary…_

*          *            *

Squall looked up at Angel and Zell walked in, Zell now dressed in his usual shorts-and-shirt combo. "Zell…glad you could _finally_ join us." He muttered, showing slight annoyance as he ladled on the sarcasm.

Zell scratched the back of his neck and just chuckled. "It's better to be late then messy, right?"

The whole gang was there – Selphie, Irvine, Rinoa – except for Quistis. "Where's Quis?" Zell asked as he walked over to an empty seat situated around the small coffee table covered in papers and a blueprint. He plonked himself into the seat and patted his lap, which Angel jumped into immediately.

"She's staying within Garden tonight." Irvine said, rolling his eyes. Selphie sat in his lap also, her legs crossed slightly as she linked her hands around his neck. "Said she had too much backlogged work to worry about some silly assassination attempt."

Selphie giggled. "She muttered something about us being more then capable to thwart some kind of attack, then hung up the phone. Rude, really. But there was a guy on the other end of the phone, in the same room. I think Quis has a secret boyfriend!!"

Squall shook his head, his face passive. "Enough rumour, Selphie." He muttered in his 'leader' voice. Rinoa didn't sit in his lap, as he would need to point things out and such. Instead she sat just to the left of him in her own chair, her hand lightly draped over his, providing constant contact.

To anybody else looking in they would seem like a bunch of good friends getting together for a night out – but their objective was far from such an innocent goal. Squall looked at Zell and Angel. "Angel…" He said quietly, gathering the student's attention. "What you hear in this room is for an unofficial mission, and if you are caught or attain by a negative party Garden will not be able to give you legal support. Also, anything that happens outside of this room after this meeting is completely unofficial too. We're working under our own steam. If you wish to back out, now is the chance."

She bit her bottom lip and shook her head slowly. "…No thank you, Commander." She said quietly, her old, shyer personality resurfacing. "…This guy has already attacked both me and Zell, as well as Ma. I can't just walk away."

Squall nodded. "I understand. Ok, Zell. Tell us about what Grey told you." He shifted forward slightly. "Everything, understand?"

Zell nodded slowly, his grip tightening around Angel's stomach as he rattled off their conversation, almost word for word. When he had finished he looked up at Angel to see if he had gotten anything wrong, but she just shook her head slightly.

The room was silent for a moment, before Irvine breathed out slowly. "That poor bastard…"

Squall nodded. "He's had it rough." He muttered, remembering his own torture experience in the Sand Prison. That had been a walk in the park compared to Grey's ordeal. "…But it doesn't excuse his actions. He had defeated July fair and square, and then executed her in cold blood. He should be our top priority."

"But what about the other things he said…" Zell muttered, pulling Angel closer to him. "Like about SeeD, and Deling."

Irvine smirked. "Oh, come on Zell! Do you really think one of us is going to murder the old fart? He's a really nice guy! I'd hate to kill him…"

"So would I…" Selphie confirmed.

"As would I." Squall said. "But we shouldn't dismiss the possibility. Remember Seifer, and the control Edea had had on him? What's to say that someone hasn't gotten to us as well?"

There was deathly silence in the room as everybody looked away from everybody, the seed of doubt planted in each mind. Only Zell looked up into Angel's eyes with a clear conscience. _I know who I am, baby. I'm the same guy who loved you in Garden. I'm the same guy who loved you in Balamb. And I'm the same guy who loved you five minutes ago._

She returned the look and smiled at him.

"Listen guys…" Rinoa said, speaking up for the first time in the meeting. "I know who I am. And besides that, my own Sorceress powers shield me from mind control. And that's why I say we ignore that piece of information. I think Grey is fooling with us, playing mind games with us."

"It's a possibility…" Selphie said, grasping Irvine's hand and squeezing it. "I mean, Grey killed July for almost no reason! He's a psycho! Not to be trusted, nuh-uh."

"The thing he let slip about Deling, though…" Squall muttered, looking up at Irvine. "Could that be true? Could Deling be alive?"

Irvine smiled. "We ought to know best. We were the last people to see him alive. Remember? Edea had shocked the life out of him, and when we went up to rescue Rinoa, we ran right past him."

Squall frowned. Three years of GF use had muddled his memory slightly, but at the mentioning of the rescue his brain was given a small kick-start. "Yeah…when we ran past he wasn't moving. But when I jumped down from the clock tower, he wasn't there."

"That man I lived with said that his body was recovered quickly." Rinoa said, still referring to her father as 'that man'. "He said the guards had run right past us, they were so concerned to recover his body."

"Do you reckon they could have revived him?" Zell asked.

Rinoa thought for a second…before shaking her head. "No. The attack Edea used was both a physical as well as paramagical one. She stabbed her nails into his throat, then Drained all the paramagical energy in his body. There would have been no magical way to revive him." She leaned forward, explaining her confidence. "In order for a Full-Life or a Phoenix Down to be used on a dead person, their soul, or aura, would have to still be in their bodies. Their paramagic aura fade's swiftly, depending on the size of their aura, and the magic must be used before the victim's aura dissipated completely. By drawing all of Deling's aura into herself – and believe me, in the time she took to drain it, there wasn't much – she effectively _made sure he stayed dead_."

"What about a scientific way?"

Every person looked over at Angel with a surprised expression as she spoke up for the first time. She shifted her weight on Zell and blushed shyly. "What I meant to say was…what about a non-magical way to revive him? Like, say, freezing him or something?"

Squall narrowed his eyes. "Hmmm…it's a possibility…we don't know how far Galbadia has gotten with their cryogenics, but we do know that now that the project had gotten off after they opened trade lines with Esthar." Squall lifted a hand and rubbed his chin. "There's no mention from our spies or defectors of Deling being frozen though…but if he was, I'm not sure that Galbadia have the technology to revive him without magical assistance."

Selphie shook her head, placing her hand on her temples. "Urg, confusing!!"

Irvine pulled a face. "Yeah! How about we cover the topic at hand, huh?! No matter who is pulling the strings behind this fiasco, they're still pulling them, and we still have an Assassin loose!"

Squall nodded. "That's right. We're putting the cart before the chocobo, people. Let's pool our information and see what we come up with." He gestured to Selphie. "You first, Selph."

Selphie shrugged. "I have _no clue_. Given a guess, however, I'd pin it on that Strange chick. She's weird."

Squall frowned uncertainly. "Point taken…Irvine?"

"I'd have to go Grey. He seems to know a little too much about our situation, as well as the Assassin's. Beside's that, he fills Zell's blurry description kinda well…same height, can move fast enough – and he has the access to a voice disruptor. All SeeD facilities have a few for missions and stuff."

Squall nodded. "Right. To tell the truth, I think its Grey too. He seems…well…" He shrugged uncertainly. "…Too in control."

Zell nodded. "I'm going for Grey too. He's just too in there – he knows too much, plus he's been screwing that Emily chick. Something is defiantly going on there."

Angel frowned. "Hang on. How don't we know that there are two assassins? Or three?"

Squall looked at her impassively. "Watts was able to give us an accurate update on the time and place, as well as tell us the new target. I rely on his information."

"But what if his information was wrong? It was wrong before, right?"

Rinoa smiled at Angel sadly. "Watts was a lot of things – but he didn't shirk at his work. 'Info's my speciality' – that was his motto."

At the reference to Watts, everybody retreated to their respective other. Selphie cuddled closer to Irvine. Squall tightened his grip on Rinoa's, who looked down at the carpet sadly. Angel leaned back into Zell's grasp. "This is so confusing, Zell…" She whispered.

"…I know, baby. My brain's doing flips as it is…at least you don't have to worry about fighting Grey in two days…"

Squall shrugged, before leaning forward. "I suppose Grey is our main target then. We'll keep an eye on him at the party, and we'll have to get someone to go do a little recon for us. Until then, lets strategise." He shifted to the edge of his seat and grabbed a blueprint from the table. "This is the layout for the party tonight. Zell and Grey will be seated not only to near each other, but also on either side of Justice and Laguna, so Zell, you'll be in the best position to keep an eye on him."

"Roger." Zell said with a grin, giving an awkward forefinger salute. "I'll be all over him like a fat kid on a cupcake."

Squall turned to Selphie and Irvine. "You guys are there for appearances. You're seats are near to Grey's too, but you'll have difficulty seeing him, as you'll have your backs turned to him. You're backup for Zell, in case Grey decides to pull something. Irvine, be prepared. You're the only one who can carry weapons without anybody else knowing."

Selphie nodded, and Irvine tipped his hat. "Always ready."

Squall leaned back in the chair. "Rinoa and I will be the recon team. We'll try and gain entrance to the White SeeD's personal living quarters, and see what we can find. If we find anything incriminating, Rinoa will contact you telepathically. Any questions?"

Angel meekly put her hand up. "Um…what about me?"

Squall smiled. "You'll be seated next to Zell, of course. You're place has already been reserved, as well as Ma's."

"Hey, yeah, where is Ma, anyways?" Zell said, sitting up.

Rinoa grinned and winked. "From what I've heard, Ma and Justice seem to have been getting to know each other, if you know what I mean?"

Zell did a double take and frowned. _"Wha?!"_

Squall smirked, but ignored the comments. "In any case, she'll be seated between Laguna and Justice, but Grey will be seated right next to Justice – so you'll have to keep your eyes peeled, guys."

Zell pushed the disgusting thoughts of his mother getting it on with the President of Galbadia – _Ewwww _– and sighed, frustrated. "Three whole bodies between me and Grey? I'll never be able to keep an eye on him then!!"

"Don't worry…you'll be able to see him fine." Squall said mysteriously, before leaning back in his chair. "Right. I think that's about all we need to know for now? Any more questions?"

A million questions raced through Zell's mind. _What's our procedure if Grey pulls some shit? What happens if it isn't Grey? What happens if you or Rinoa are captured? What happens if our cover's blown?_

Squall looked at him with a smile. "I know that look, Zell. If something happens, just follow on how you've been trained. Capture if possible, defeat if necessary. And don't worry about Rinoa and me. We'll be fine."

Zell rolled his eyes. "I hate it when you do stuff like that."

Squall smiled openly at that remark, before standing. "Well, we still have about four or so hours before we have to be there. Do the girls want to go and find some dresses, or something?"

Rinoa crossed her arms roughly, pouting. "I don't see why I would need to. We're only doing recon, right? No need to get all dressed up when you're burgling someone."

Squall smiled again, but face-palmed all the same. "Rin, we wont be there for long. Just go through his things and get back to the party."

Rinoa stood happily. "Good!!" she squealed, hugging Squall tightly before running over to Angel. "Come on! We'll find something good for you!!"

"Hey, what about me?!" Selphie cried as Rinoa dragged Angel out, angel meekly waving goodbye to Zell with a _help me_ expression on her face as the most powerful woman in the world took her to go and try on some clothes. Selphie jumped up out of Irvine's grasp and ran after the pair.

Irvine shrugged and smiled. "Well, that's how it is."

Zell laughed at that. Squall simply smirked.

*          *            *

There was a small knock on the door of Laguna's office, and he looked up from playing with a small chicobo. "Yes?"

His pretty secretary opened the door and poked her head around it. "You're son and his friends are here to see you, Mr. President."

Laguna rolled his eyes with happiness. "Thank _Hyne!_ I was _so_ _bored_!!"

"Shall I send them in, sir?"

Laguna laughed out loud. If there was one thing he didn't like about the Estharian people, it was their inability to think for themselves. Someone else always needed to take the initiative. "Yes, send them in."

The door closed, and Laguna returned to playing with the chicobo. He had had it made especially in one of his research labs – a new wave of pets will be sweeping the globe as soon as he launched these babies. All they needed to do was pull the aging gene from their genetic code. The only way they died, supposedly, was if they got sick or they were killed by some outside force. Not only that, they were cheap to make, easy to look after, and were cute as all buggery.

The secretary opened the door, and Squall, Zell and Irvine walked in. Irvine was grinning lewdly at the secretary, who had a no idea what he was finding so funny.

Laguna raised his hands happily. "Squall! Zell! Irvine! Just the guys I wanted to see!!"

The boys took their seats and looked down at the little animal as it began to pick at something in its tiny wing. Squall frowned. "Laguna…I didn't know you kept Chocobos."

"Oh, nah, this is just a new thing my labs have just released. Chicobo pets!! They're going to make a bundle." He scratched the little bird's head with a finger, which it cheeped happily at. "I'll tell you, they're infectious. I'll give you some – they're the _best_ present for the girls."

The boys looked at each other with worried expressions. The message conveyed in their eyes said it all – months and months of the girls pampering the little creatures, taking it with them where ever they would go, talking to them in baby-talk, and all the while the respective guy would wake up in the morning wondering if he had accidentally crushed it in his sleep.

Zell smiled half-heartedly, looking left and right desperately in a bid to escape the words. "Gee…thanks Laguna…they'll love em."

"Yeah…so, what brings you to my neck of the woods?" Laguna picked the tiny bird up in his hand and allowed it to peter around in his palm. It couldn't be anymore bigger then a tennis ball. "You're certainly not here on a personal visit, I'll bet."

Squall looked at Irvine and Zell, before shrugging. "Well…yes and no." he said unevenly.

Zell rolled his eyes. "The girls have gone dress shopping. Leaving us a few hours of absolutely nothing to do."

Irvine smiled. "Granted, it's good to get away from Selphie's chatter – on and on and on and on and on – but we already miss them."

Laguna looked at them, the little chicobo petering about on his palm – before he burst out laughing, startling the little creature and making it ruffle its tiny yellow feathers. "So you thought you'd come and talk shop with the President of Esthar!" He lifted his free hand and wiped a tear from his eye. "Oh, that's rich. You've made my day, boys."

"That's not all, father." Squall said. "We need to find out what you've been doing about…you know."

Laguna's face grew serious, and he reached under the desk for something. Pulling out a small cage, he bundled the little bird into it and shut the gate. "Stay there." He whispered, before placing it under the desk and clasping his hands on top of the desk. "Well…what do you want to know?"

"Security." Irvine said. "How tight will it be at the party?"

"Very. We're not expecting anything – I think you're friend is a little too subtle for that – but we're prepared."

Zell frowned. "As prepared as you were for me when I walked through your building with six guys hanging off me?"

Laguna rolled his eyes. "What do you want from me? This isn't SeeD we're talking about, this is just your everyday soldiers."

Squall nodded. "We know. We'd also like to know who you think the assassin is."

"How the hell am I supposed to know?! I'm not friggin telepathic, you know!!"

Irvine rolled his eyes. "Hyne, one of the most powerful men in Gaia and he doesn't know anything."

"Well, what do you guys know?"

All eyes turned to Zell, and he rolled his eyes before explaining – again – everything Grey had told him. When he was finished Laguna sat back in his chair. "Hyne…that's a lot to consider."

"Tell me about it." Zell muttered, crossing his arms. "I've been so confused lately, I don't know who to trust."

Laguna stood and turned, looking out his large window that overlooked the entire city. "So…Deling might still be alive…" His arms were crossed as he looked at his reflection in the mirror. "It is possible to cryogenically freeze a person in Galbadia – my spies know this for a fact. What we don't know is who they've been freezing, or why. Well, I suppose that answers one question."

"What's that?" The boys asked in unison.

"Why you've received so much grief in Galbadian territory. There's obviously some sort of underground army under Deling, or someone using Deling's name, who wants to create a coup de ta in the Galbadian government, in a bid to allow Deling to reclaim Presidency." Laguna turned to the boys, his expression hard. "Obviously, if this happens Esthar will sever all trade lines with the outside world once more. If there's one thing I hated the most while I was in Galbadia, it was working for that sleezeball."

"Their objective is to allow Deling to reclaim Presidency – and the only way to do that is to bump off Justice." Zell muttered. "But won't the Galbadian people mutiny against this kinda thing? Times have been better with Justice around."

"Civilians with no paramagical training wont stand against an army of Galbadian soldiers." Laguna muttered. "It's easier to go along with the crowd. There will most probably be a few incidents – but the Galbadian people will fold easily. They're used to his way of living."

Squall sat with his hand on his chin, his legs crossed. He slammed a fist into the armrest of the chair he was in. "Dammit…all the work we've done in rebuilding a better Galbadia, ruined by a tyrant with a selfish goal."

"And I suppose this makes you feel any better to know that Justice was going to declare a world-wide peace agreement at the end of the Tournament?" Laguna said, plonking himself back into his chair.

"What for?" Squall said. "Galbadia isn't at war with anybody at the moment."

"Yeah, but there's still a few countries that want to blow the Galbadians to kingdom-come. Justice is hoping that the peace offering will be accepted. He really wants to have peace."

"Good for him." Irvine said. "That's what makes him a good leader. Nobody to look out for if nobody wants you dead."

Laguna shrugged. "Yeah, I suppose. By the way, are you still using that Dincht Mark you showed me a few years ago?"

Irvine's eyes widened at the mention of his lever-action rifle. "Uh…yeah, but it got destroyed again when I was fighting some defectors."

Laguna's eyes sparkled. "I wanna show you something."

Getting up from his chair, he gestured for them to follow, and moved to the big double doors. Opening them and walking outside, he smiled down at his secretary. "Chera, please take my messages as I'm gone. And tell the security detail to take a break. I couldn't be any safer with my son and his friends around."

The secretary looked at the blushing Squall, who fought desperately to hide it, and smile sweetly. "Yes, sir."

"Oh, and don't forget to feed Chico while I'm gone!"

"Yes, sir."

They moved through the presidential building, Laguna gathering more stares then the trio of SeeDs who followed him. It wasn't uncommon for Laguna to go strolling around the complex – but to have no guards and only three young men accompanying him was a little unorthodox, even for Laguna.

They finally reached a large door, which Laguna opened by pressing his palm against a panel next to the door. "My rooms." He explained as they walked in. "Make yourselves at home."

The room they were in was, to be blunt, less decorated then the rooms and hallways that usually accommodated the Estharian lifestyle. Of course there were a few bits and pieces of Laguna' Estharian life – paintings, sculptures, etc – but for the most part, the decorations were very Western. Instead of a futuristic looking seating unit, there was a beaten up old couch. Instead of a wall-to-wall surround-sound unit, there was a medium sized CD player. Instead of a dropdown TV set, there was an old-model glass screen unit on top of the CD player. In short, it didn't look like the living quarters of the President of Esthar. It looked more like the bachelor pad.

Zell looked about the room and liked what he saw. He wasn't into that fancy stuff anyways. Everything he had – or did have – had meant something personal to him. Sure, he had gotten the new computer for his birthday – but after a few months it was as beaten and loved as the rest of his junk. "I like your place, Laguna." He said out loud. "It really reflects who you are."

Laguna's chuckled. "Yeah…but don't go into the kitchen. Then you'll only see how messy I am."

Squall looked around the room and said nothing. He already knew who his father was – an annoying, ignorant simpleton – this was just a new reflection of it, and a new way to show how much more they were different.

Irvine was getting impatient. He hopped from foot to foot in excitement, a bad habit he had gotten off Selphie. Somehow he managed to pull it off without humiliating himself. "C'mon!!" He whined. "Show us!!"

"Alright, alright…" Laguna said with a laugh, disappearing down a corridor.

The boys took their seats. Zell sitting on the floor in front of the CD player and checking Laguna's collection. Squall sat on the couch and picked up the remote for the TV, flicking it on. Irvine sat next to Squall, his right foot resting on his left knee and jiggling impatiently, like a child waiting for Christmas.

Squall looked at him and frowned. "Stop that. It's disconcerting."

Irvine looked at him blankly. "I have no idea what that means, but I'm pretty sure it's an insult."

"It means it worries me, you simp. So stop it before I cut it off."

"Try it, buster, and you'll find yourself a running a little better with the new ventilation holes I'll put in your head."

Zell rolled his eyes. "Oh, shut up before I knock the both of you out…with your tonsils."

Amazingly, they didn't retort.

There was a loud bang from where Laguna went to, followed by a long stream of swear words. Another bang followed, before Laguna finally emerged, carrying what looked like a large sliver briefcase. "Sorry about that…I haven't pulled this thing out in a long while."

Laguna moved around to sit in-between Squall and Irvine, and placed the case on the ground. He looked at Irvine with a grin, before flipping the locks open and flinging the cases top open with a flourish.

From his position, Zell couldn't see what it was, but whatever it was it made Squall raise an interested eyebrow – and make Irvine salivate. "Oh my Hyne!!" He squealed, pulling the item from it's casing.

It was Laguna's Desperado, the very same machine gun that he used throughout the Galbadian wars and in his quest to find Ellone. The gunmetal was a sleek black, the sheen signifying that Laguna kept it in pristine condition. "I used to take it out every now and then and pick off a few Bite Bugs that wander the Plains…but I'm getting to be worse and worse a shot. Lately all I've been doing is strip it and clean it. It clears my head. I never was much of a soldier."

Irvine couldn't stop looking at it. "It's flawless… .45 calibre rounds…autoloader…full auto, and a laser sighting…fifty clip mags… optional scope…Hyne, this thing is perfect!!"

Laguna smiled at the gunslinger. "How'd you like to have it?"

It was like someone had sucker punched Irvine right in the guts. All his air was blown out of him as his brain processed the words. "Come again?" he gasped.

"I can't use it anymore. And it'll just be put in some stupid case if I leave it lying around for the Estharians to get their honouring hand on it. I'd rather you have it then for it to be put in some stupid museum."

"I…I cant take this!! This…is a work of art!"

Zell smirked. "Yeah. Knowing Irvine he's probably break it after having it for a few minutes."

Irvine nodded violently, and pushed the weapon back into Laguna's hands. "Thanks, Laguna…maybe later, when I'm not so worried that'll break it."

Laguna didn't look sad – he simply accepted Irvine's decision. "I suppose you're right…but remember, the offer is always on the table. I'm going to have to give it away some time, and I'd rather it'd be you. You'd put it to good use." He looked down at the weapon, and smiled. "Hey, why don't we go roaming – find us some monsters to kill. Nothing kills time like a good old fashioned hunt!"

Squall shrugged. "As long as we're back by six, I don't mind."

Irvine jumped up. "It would be a pleasure to fight alongside you, sir!!"

Zell sighed. "Yeah, may as well. I was getting bored anyways…"

*          *            *

Rinoa stepped out from behind the curtain and walked out of the dressing room, twirling for the girls to see. "What about this one?"

Selphie and Angel had been watching Rinoa try on dresses for a good hour now, fascinated by the girl as she tapped a well of unimaginable stamina that seemed to make her shop almost non-stop. The dress she had now, though a little revealing, looked alright to Selphie. "Yeah, that looks good." She said dismissively, wanting to attack the collection of clothing herself.

"Alright! What about you, Ang?"

Angel looked at the dress with a critical eye. The dress was figure-hugging, showing off her breasts and behind – but apart form that, the sleek black velvet dress seemed very elegant. "Very nice, Rinoa."

"Cool!! Now you guys go try some on!!"

The petite Selphie walked out of the dressing room with a two-piece dress – a long white skirt with a strip cut out of the left to reveal some leg whilst allowing her to move, and a blouse which barely contained her large bust.

"Ummm…change the top sweety, you're pouring out of the thing." Rinoa said critically. "The skirt looks nice, though."

Selphie frowned at Rinoa, before changing the top to a white blouse, which fit everything where it was supposed to go. The most powerful magic user in the world and the third most powerful then turned to the simple library girl. "OK hon – your turn!!" Rinoa said with glee.

Angel hesitantly approached the rack of clothes. Even if she was being paid a SeeD's allowance – which she wasn't – she couldn't pay for _any_ of these. "I don't know, you guys…I don't think I can afford any of this stuff…"

Selphie dismissed the remark with a wave of her hand. "Pfff. Just put it on Zell's account. I'm sure he wont mind."

She was right. Because of Zell's perfect mission record, not to mention his impeccable saving skills, he had an awful lot of Gil. Being a grade A SeeD meant he could buy a lot of things – if he wanted to. The embargo on his salary hadn't been a problem for him.

_OK Angel – only this once. Don't get used to this._

She hesitantly pulled a dress from the rack and pressed it to her body. "This one?"

The dress was a masterpiece, the long flowing skirt made from the finest Estharian cloth. The material would have cost more then Angel could ever make in a lifetime.

Rinoa waved her hand in an 'ok' kinda way. "Meh. Too dressy, if you know what I mean."

Selphie agree with the Sorceress. "Yeah, Angel. You want a dress that'll blow his shoes off his feet the first time he sees you in it. You want him to think he's died and gone to heaven, you know?"

"What, you mean wear the stuff that you guys are going to wear?"

"Yeah!!" Rinoa said happily. "I know that as soon as he sees me in that dress, you can forget abut the old Squall – he wont be able to keep his hands off me!!"

Angel giggled at that. _Zell has always found me beautiful, no matter what I wear…I suppose I could dress up for him, just this once… _"Alright. Help me pick one out…"

*          *            *

A few hours later Angel walked into the room carrying a small plastic bag. Stepping into the room, she saw that Zell was lying on the bed, his fresh clothes now covered in red dust. His hands were behind his head on the pillow, his snores making the lamp on the bedside table tremble.

She giggled. Aside from his echoing snores and the dust, he looked like an angel – albeit, a tired angel.

His snores suddenly switched themselves off, plunging the room into silence, and she smiled once more. For some reason, no matter who it was, Zell was able to unconsciously turn off his snores. Almost as if he didn't want annoy anybody.

She walked forward quietly, placing the bag beside the bed, and crawled onto it, lifting her head over to his and kissing him softly on the lips.

"Mmnnnmm…Angel…" he muttered in his sleep.

She giggled again and shook his shoulder softly, causing him to wake. "Sorry, hon, but we have to be getting to the dinner in an hour."

He took in a breath and sighed, rubbing his bleary eyes. "What time is it?"

"Its just about to turn seven."

He smiled and drew her into an embrace. "Plenty of time."

*          *            *

Walking into the dining area was like walking into a palace fit for ten kings. The room was so big Bahamet could stand happily and still have room for several other GFs. The tables were covered in blue cloths and silver utensils, the plates all having a delicately folded napkin and a small present for all guests.

Zell and Angel's place was at the very end of the room, and they walked through the throng of influential people, Zell having to fight to keep his eyes on where they were going.

Angel looked _breathtaking._ Dressed in a white one-piece dress, which barely covered the legs and had straps that crisscrossed around her neck, with sparkling sequins placed liberally around the body and short skirt. The first time she ad stepped out of the bathroom where she had changed had been like someone had kicked Zell right where it would've hurt. All he had been able to do was gape and mumble incohererently as she stood before him, shyly blushing, and drew him into a hug.

Zell was decked out in the full SeeD uniform – Black and blue coat with the SeeD logo on the back, with black slacks and boots. A long chain went from his left shoulder over his chest to his right breast. His left breast held medals and lines of rank – being an A Grade SeeD, Zell had to leave some of the less important ones back at the suite. His fists were covered in his old Ehrgiez gloves – they simply went with the uniform. His was, most probably, the most overdressed person in the room.

All the female guests were dressed in extravagant gowns or dresses, the males dressed in the usual penguin suits. Zell spied Grey, however, sitting in his position, dressed in the White SeeD official uniform.

Out of his usual grey colours, his skin looked slightly darker against the pure White cloth, tanned from training on board the ship. The uniform also covered the entire body, white gloves on Grey's hands, shoulder blades on the shoulders, a wide sash for a belt. A white bandana with long white tails was also strapped around his head, keeping his ash-like hair out of his eyes.

White and Dark met up, Zell wiping his hand on his slacks and holding it out. "Hiya Grey! How ya doin'?"

Grey stood and shook the offered hand. "Feeling better then I did this morning, Dincht…who's this?" He asked, looking at Angel. He looked her up and down with a critical eye. "A fighter too?"

"Yes…" Angel said evenly, holding her hand out for him to shake. "My name's Angel Lee. Nice to meet you."

"You wont be so please when I beat Zell into the ground."

Zell laughed with good nature. "C'mon, Grey! Let's keep that stuff out for tonight, ok? We're here to have fun!"

Grey shook his head and sat back down. "Whatever…"

Angel and Zell looked at each other, but said nothing back. Moving around him, they went and sat in their designated areas. The seating for the guests of honour was like a semi-circle – Grey on one side of the circle, Zell on the other. Zell had no trouble keeping an eye on him.

"He's a bit weird…" Angel whispered into Zell's ear.

"He's like a mixture of Seifer and Squall…" Zell explained. "He's quiet like Squall, but he's up himself like Seifer."

Angel smiled. "Well, at least we get to have a good dinner for a change. They say that Estharian cuisine is the best in all of Gaia."

Zell chuckled. "Well…I wouldn't go past some of Ma's cooking…but it is pretty good…" He looked up to see President Justice walking through the crowd. "Oh my Hyne…"

"What? What is it?" Angel asked, wondering what had made Zell blush suddenly, and turning to see Justice and Ma walking, hand in hand, up to the younger couple.

"Hello Zell!!" Ma said, a big grin on her face. "I've been having the most wonderful time!!"

Zell tried not to groan and looked down at his plate with its little present and nameplate. _Zell Dincht._ "That's great Ma."

"You're mother is a spectacular person, Zell!" Justice said, equally happy. "I've never had so much fun in years!!"

"That's great, Mr. President."

"Oh, come on Zell. What's wrong with your mother having a bit of fun?"

"It's fine when you have fun with your friends, Ma. But it's a bit over the top when you have fun with the_ President of Galbadia!_"

Ma turned to Justice and laughed heartily. "That's my Zell! He can save the world but he can't bear to see his mother make new friends."

It was more then that, and Zell could see it. Ma had fallen for Justice hook line and sinker. And it wasn't the fact that his adopted mother had fallen for the most powerful man in the world. It was the fact that the most powerful man in the world had _fallen for her as well._

"And you must be Angel." Justice said to Angel. "I've heard a lot about you."

Angel giggled and looked down, her blush equal to Zell's. Her hand snaked down under the tablecloth and grabbed his, giving it a small squeeze. He returned the squeeze and looked up at the President. "Nothing but good stuff, I hope?" he asked Ma.

"Of course! I couldn't have asked for a better girlfriend for my Zelly!"

Justice patted Zell's free hand and moved over to his seat, sitting down next to Grey and holding out a hand for the White SeeD to shake. Grey shook it evenly and resumed his brooding.

Angel smiled at Zell. "They seem to be getting along rather well, huh? Ma seems to like him a lot!" She saw Zell's expression then, deadly serious, looking down at the hand that the President had patted. "What? What is it?"

Zell lifted his hand – to reveal a piece of folded paper that Justice had palmed him.

*          *            *

_Dear Zell._

_Clara told me everything. I can't say that I am angry at you for keeping it from me – it was my own people's fault that I didn't know._

_I knew that someone has been rallying the old Deling forces for a while now – certain troops always disappearing, orders not being carried out to the degree in which I asked, and a subtle coldness in some of the commanding officers._

_The news of an assassination has troubled me, obviously. Even more of the fact that it will happen tonight. There were a few things that I had wanted to speak to you about – thing I cannot write here. Meet in my quarters after the dinner – I shall explain my plans further._

_Regards,_

_Justice Delarn_

"Hyne…" Zell muttered. "He knows."

"So what do we do?" Angel asked, gripping Zell's hand tightly.

Zell looked at her, his gaze slightly fearful. "We hope he doesn't wig out, and try to keep him as close to intact as possible."

*          *            *

The dinner went off without a hitch – Laguna arriving with grandeur, as usual. After finishing his meal he sat back with a loud burp and laughed heartily, before asking Angel if he could have a dance. Angel agreed meekly, and Zell kept one eye on her whilst keeping another on Justice, who never left Ma's side the entire night.

Selphie and Irvine walked up to him where he was standing next to the dance floor, nursing a wine for the better half of the hour. He took one look at Selphie's dress and decided the best thing to say was nothing at all. "How's everything going?" He asked Irvine, who was out of his usual cowboy attire and was wearing a more black version of the SeeD uniform, the chains glinting brightly in the light.

"Everything's cool so far…had a quick talk to some of the security guards, and they let me carry a piece, so if anything happens, I'm ready."

Zell nodded coolly, before noticing someone picking their way through the crowd toward them. "Great. Well, I suppose you guys should go and have some fun."

"Ok…you gonna catch up with us later with Angel?" Selphie asked, grabbing Irvine's hand.

Zell nodded with a smile and waved to them as they melted into the dancing throng, to be swallowed by the mass of people. Zell estimated there to be – at least – five hundred people within the complex.

Grey finally managed to squeeze past an elderly couple dancing badly to stand next to Zell, placing his hand in his pockets as he stood next to the Duellist. "How you going, Dincht?" He muttered, grabbing a glass of red wine from a passing Estharian waitress.

Zell looked at him, before resuming his gaze over the crowd. "Fine, Grey."

The two fighters stood there for a few minutes, sipping their drinks, not saying a word, simply letting the sound of the music waft over them and allow the heat of the dancing bodies to be absorbed. The wine was tangy, if not a little too strong, so Zell surreptitiously tipped the rest of his glass into the pot plant he was next to.

"So…what have you come to?" Grey muttered, downing the rest of his glass with a short swallow. He was having no qualms about drinking tonight.

"Come to? You mean, who do I think it is?"

"That's what I mean, Dincht. You don't have to spell it out for me."  
Zell thought for a second. "…If anybody, I'd think it was you."

Grey snorted, lifting his hand and waving another waitress over. "Really?" He muttered with a cool smile, placing the empty glass on the tray and picking up a full one, before turning to Zell once more. "Do you really think I would?"

Zell's eyes narrowed. "Why are you here? What are you, a distraction, or something?"

Grey chuckled. "No, no. I'm here to simply get to know you a little better." He lifted the glass to his lips. "It would be nice to know what he find so interesting about you."

Zell's eyes narrowed. "I only know he's a he. I don't know who he is or what he look like. Reckon you could help me with that?"

Grey chuckled again. "What'll you give me for it?" He narrowed his eyes. "A kiss?"

Zell raised an eyebrow. "Jealous? I were you, I wouldn't be."

Grey chuckled again, before walking right into Zell's face. Zell could smell the wine on his breath as he spoke. "It's one thing to have it _every single night_…but it's another to _actually_ have it." He stepped back a little awkwardly, looking down at the glass in his hand. "She wants you. She can't have you. Ergo, I cant have her."

"You actually love her?"

"Hard to believe? I mean, sure, she's no Sorceress…but I suppose I'll make her a good Knight anyways."

Zell suddenly grabbed the lapels of Grey's white uniform and twisted him around, slamming his back against the wall where Zell stood just a moment before. "Just tell me who, dammit!!"

Zell's eyes were on fire, and it was obvious that Grey was drunk. For a split second there was a look, like fear, in his grey pupils…before a gazed sheen took over. "Even if I wanted to, I cant." He dropped the half full glass, allowing it to shatter to the floor. "I tried to keep a hold…I tried my hardest…but I just can't fight it anymore."

He suddenly doubled over, crying out in agony. Zell let go of him and he dropped to the floor with a grunt, before he began to convulse wildly. The people around them moved away instantly, the women shrieking of help as Grey grunted an animalistic howl of pain.

Zell had seen this thing before. He had felt it down to his very core. He had experienced it. "The Kiss Of Death…" He muttered. _Grey slept with the Devil…and this was his reward._

He knelt down next to the White SeeD, placing his hands on Grey's chest, covering the SeeD's own white-knuckles grip on his shirt. "Just hold on, Grey! I'll go get Selphie! She can hold it off long enough for us to get you proper help!!"

Grey looked up at Zell with gritted teeth and glazed eyes. Zell watched in shock as the whites of his eyes began to turn pink – then red – then crimson. "It's…too…late…" He growled, lifting his hands painfully and gripping Zell's SeeD coat, his fingers clawing at the chains of rank.

"Then tell me!" Zell screamed suddenly, grasping Grey's head. "Tell me who!!"

"Emily…find Emily and…tell her…Sam…Sam will…"

Grey suddenly threw his head back and groaned an unearthly groan, the noise tearing through the shocked crowd like a gigantic sliver of ice. Zell's eyes widened, and he stood and threw his arms out wide, the bluish-green shield of a Protect spell fanning out over the crowd.

Grey's head twitched to the left, before suddenly bursting like a popped balloon, brain matter and chunks of skull splattering over the magical wall. The red bits had a few seconds to trail down the wall slowly, before Grey's chest suddenly erupted, his ribs flying open and his gut spilling out over his now-red pants.

The lesser men and women within the crowd fainted – others screamed bloody murder and tried to escape the horrific scene, pandemonium ensuing as the dance hall was suddenly cleared out.

Zell just stood there, still feeling Grey's grip on his chest as he managed to see something small and pink pick it's way down the bluish-green wall he had thrown up at the last notice. His breathing was erratic, his face covered in sweat. _Hyne…that could have been me…_

Someone suddenly place a hand on his shoulder and he spun violently, knocking whoever it was to the polished floor, the Protect falling, the curtain of blood and chunky bits falling with it was a resounding splatter. Zell looked down to see Angel looking up at him with a horrified look on her eyes. "Oh…baby…I'm sorry…" he said quickly, reaching down and grabbing her, lifting her up to her feet.

She looked down at the corpse, head now gone, ribs protruding from what had been a chest, and buried her head in Zell's chest with a resounding sob. He hugged her tight to him, rubbing his hands on her back and turning his from the scene, unable to look anymore. "Shhh, it's ok, I'm fine, it's ok…"

When he turned he saw only Selphie and Irvine standing where there had been hundreds of people, looking down at Grey's corpse with horror. He frowned. "Where's Justice?"

They looked up at his with shock, unable to talk. He released Angel and pushed her into Selphie, Selphie catching her with a confused look on her face. "Look after her." Zell muttered, grabbing Irvine's sleeve. "Come on, we gotta find Justice."

*          *            *

"What the fuck happened back there, Zell?!" Irvine asked, barely able to contain himself as he pulled the Vincent from his hip holster and pulled the slide back, chambering a round.

"The Kiss Of Death…" Zell muttered, dashing out the big double doors of the hall and looking left and right at the remanent of the crowd as they continued to try and escape. "If I had been a little less lucky and a lot less stronger, that would have been my brains and lungs splattered all over the Trabia snow lands." He tightened the grips of his Ehrgiez Gloves and looked around. "Where the hell is he?"

*          *            *

Justice and Ma had been slow-waltzing to the tune of a slow song when Grey's first grunts of pain had lifted over the sound of the music. Both of them had looked up, staying put as several people pushed past to get a glimpse of what was going down.

Then the screamed began, followed by the flash of a Protect springing up – followed by the most gut-wrenching sound Justice or Ma had ever heard, something between a bloody crush and a wet slap.

The panic had then erupted, the people with front-row tickets to the small glimpse of hell suddenly desperate to exit the building with extreme prejudice. Like humans are, the smell of blood and fear riled them up, and in a blink of an eye everybody around Justice and Ma were fighting for their lives to get to the door and out into the Estharian night.

They were picked up easily, carried with the crowd, and flung out into the hallway of the Esthar Presidential Dance Hall, the Estharian guards unable to do anything with the mass-hysteria that had suddenly sprung up for no apparent reason.

Justice and Ma finally found themselves outside, in the cold Estharian night, spilling out of a service exit with a bunch of other people, the only things greeting them the starlight and an empty Estharian alleyway. It was meticulously clean for an alleyway, same as everything else in Esthar.

Both of them were panting with the exertion of the run, and Justice turned to Ma. "Are you alright?"

"I've never had to run that fast in my entire life!" Ma blurted, her breaths coming in short bursts. "What the hell happened in there?"

"I don't know…" Justice said, looking over at the other people with a suspicious eye. "But I don't think we ought to stay here. My security detail will be looking for us in a few minutes – we ought to be getting to the main entrance. There'll most likely be someone there." His breathing had already returned to normal, and as he stood he cast a critical eye on the other runner. They all looked seriously frightened, most of them clinging to their respective other, huddling together like frightened Chocobos.

Ma nodded in agreement, but as he stood to go she grabbed the hem of his coat. "Wait! Wait…I need to rest…"

He knelt back down again. "Emily…we have to go now. We're not safe here."

"What do you mean?" She asked, looking up at him, confusion on her dumpy face.

"He means that you're not safe, Miss Dincht." A voice suddenly rang out from the darkness. The six other runners shockingly burst into flames, the Fira's cast upon them making quick work on their expensive suits and highly flammable dresses. From the darkness the silhouette of a man walked out from the inky black, his hand smoking at the gloves he wore smouldered from the magic having to burn through the material. "Not safe at all."

Justice pushed Ma behind him, shielding her with his body. "What do you want?" He yelled, making sure that she was safely behind him.

"It doesn't matter what I want, old man." The Assassin muttered, his black clothing making him seem ethereal in the night sky. "I'm only following orders."

And his hand burst into fire once more.

*          *            *

The sounds of screams – painful screams – erupted in Zell's ears, and he skidded to a halt sharply, making Irvine ram into his back. Zell twisted his head left and right, trying to home in on the sound. "There!!" He yelled, pointing at a service doorway, the door ajar slightly.

He smashed the tough metal door down with a single kick and ran down the tunnel with fear in his mind. _Ma…Justice…I hope to Hyne you're alright…_

Finally coming to an opening, he jumped outside, electricity licking and boiling within both of his palms – to see several smouldering bodies lying about him. Looking up, he watched as Justice took the brunt of a Firaga with his chest, screaming shrilly as Ma cowered behind him.

"_Noooooo!!"_ Zell screamed, flipping out and ramming Ma straight out from behind Justice, flicking his foot out at the last second to catch Justice's, causing him to fall backwards, the Firaga flashing over him and blasting into the doorway, making it to melt down into a red, lumpy opening.

Zell rolled with Ma momentarily, before recovering to his feet, picking Ma up in the same roll. He quickly spun her and pushed her towards the main entrance. "_Go!"_ He screamed, not bothering to se wether or not she followed his order as he turned and began to run at full speed at the man dressed in black.

Everything was in slow motion. He could see the pupils of the Assassin's wide eyes – hazel, and full of confusion and fear. He felt the hard ground beneath him, his formal boots smashing into the pavement, radiating their own fury. He watched, amazed, as his left hand took leave of it's senses and flew forward with a speed he had never witnessed before, slashing out with unrelenting passion and no holds barred.

Even more amazing was the fact that the black-garbed man ducked under the fist, the imprint of a boot suddenly obscuring Zell's view.

He flew backwards, more surprised then hurt, and rolled with the blow, flipping off his hands and landing on his feet – to be smashed across the chops once more by a foot, which was followed through with an easy sucker-punch, the gloved fist flipping out like a whip, smacking into Zell's face and retreating under it's own accord.

Blood spurted from Zell's nose, and he barely had time to duck under the Assassin's next attack, the foot sailing over Zell's head as he fell backwards to land on his hands, flipping up so his body was held up by his arms. Swinging his feet around and catching the Assassin's face twice, he fell down and grabbed the man's head with his boots, pulling him down onto the ground violently.

The man reacted instantly, pulling his head from the crater it had made in the pavement and stabbing out with his hand, his fingers straight like a knife. They stabbed twice into Zell's throat, immediately cutting off his air and killing all common sense as his brain overrode everything around it to concentrate on revival of oxygen.

Zell lay spluttering like a fish out of water for only an instant, before he looked up to see the man, his black mask covering his entire head except for the eyes, the mask stretched out into an unmistakeable smile. "Too easy…" Was the words muttered, before a hand was shoved into Zell's face, palm open, fingers splayed, electricity growing from a tiny ball into interlacing lines which trailed up the black arm.

"Stop." Someone suddenly said, causing Zell to smile.

Irvine suddenly materialised behind the Assassin, his Vincent levelled at the man's head, pressing against the back of it roughly.

"Go…Irvine…" Zell coughed, managing to stand. He rubbed his throat painfully, watching the man raise his hand and allow the Thundaga to dissipate, lifting his other hand above his head as well.

Zell moved forward at the man, who had lowered his head. "Well then, Mr. Assassin, lets see who you really are." Gripping the black balaclava with one fist, he pulled it off roughly, revealing a shock of brown hair and a cheeky grin that belonged only to the White SeeD, Sam Gamgee. Zell shook his head sadly. "Dammit, Sam! Why?"

Sam smiled. "Now's not the time, Hunter. The question you should be asking yourself…" He lowered his arms suddenly, taking a step away from Irvine. "…Is where you're friends loyalties are."

Zell looked at Irvine, who had levelled the gun at Zell, the distance to close for Zell to even consider a disarming manoeuvre. He knew Irvine would be able to pop a killing shot off before Zell would even blink. He simply ground his teeth together and frowned mencacingly. "Hyne, Irvine…you're our mole?"

Irvine didn't say anything. He simply looked at Zell with sad eyes, his red hair flowing slightly with the night breeze. Sam moved over to Zell, tapping him on the shoulder and smiling again. "Don't worry about it, Hunter. He hasn't _really_ betrayed you. He's just been…turned. That's all."

Zell's eyes widened as the Stop magic took over, arresting all possible movement. He couild only grunt as the blank eyed Irvine moved over to Justice's still-smoking body and lower the gun to aim at the body.

He blasted off the entire clip, the bullets making the body jump and dancing slightly as spurts of blood signified the lumps of Teflon-coated lead entering the President's body. Irvine's finger continued to click on the empty trigger as the gun went dry, and he seemed to move sluggishly as he popped the spent clip and slam in a fresh one, chambering a round.

He then pressed the gun on the President's temple and fired off three more rounds, just to make sure, before turning to Zell's statuesque body.

Zell wanted to speak. He wanted to scream. He wanted to _know_. But all he could do was watch as Irvine levelled the gun at Zell once more. "Say goodnight, Zell." He muttered, his tone deadpan.

_Goodnight…Zell?_ Was all Zell could think – before the last thing he saw was the muzzle flare of a Vincent Valentine loaded with .45 calibre bullets.

*          *            *

Jesus, that was a long chapter!! I swear, I took one look at the word count, and I thought to myself "Shit! You should have made this into two chapters, or something!!"

_There were a few things I wanted to do in this chapter. Firstly – I wanted to reveal the Assassin, as well as the SeeD mole. Done that, what did you think? Also, I wanted to show the SeeDs in an everyday situation. The girls going to a shop to buy dresses for the big ball, the guys simply letting it all hang out with some old-fashioned hunting. Plus, I've never written **my** rendition of girls shopping for clothes. Now I have. Female readers, did I hit the mark?_

_Well, the comp is over too, and the winner is Matt Carpenter!! Matt, if you're reading this, I'd like to know you're physical description – i.e. height, weight, eye colour, that kinda crap._

_For all the other people who have entered in, nice try, but no tamale!! Maybe when I write the sequel…after I finish off all the other backlogged stories I've got going._

_PS – if you find any spelling mistakes or grammar mistakes within this chapter, you can just bite me. You try friggin writing all this down then stopping and have to pick through it with a fine-toothed comb!_


	26. Tying Up Loose Ends

Ch 26 – Tying Up Loose Ends

Darkness.

Then a flash of light. Pain. The memory of a fight. 

_His gunblade roaring. The feeling of horror as the man slipped past his defences. The feeling of fist meeting his face. Then…more darkness._

The darkness receded slowly, and Squall opened his eyes painfully.

It was daytime. He was outside, in the Estharian alleyway. The fire-escape that Rinoa and he were suppose to use to gain access to the White SeeD's quarters was right next to him, wide open from when the person inside had kicked it open. Gripping his head with a gloved hand, the Commander of Balamb Garden managed to pull himself up onto his feet, trying to shake the chocobos from his vision.

_What happened?_ Was his first question, before he looked about, trying to take his bearings, trying to find a mental keystone.

…The door burst open…Rinoa was knocked out first…Squall tried to fight, but he was no match…

He looked around. His gunblade sat next to where he had laid, the laser-blade still shimmering with a blue glow. Picking it up, he switched it off and clipped it to his belt. He saw the great cuts and slashed carved into the walls around him. He was amazed that the man had been able to fight him off.

Looking around, he saw a dumpster. Just above it was a large crater in the metallic wall, like something had been flung against it, before landing into the dumpster. He walked over to it and knocked on the side. There was a slight groan from the inside, and Squall lifted the hatch. "Rinoa? Are you ok?"

Rinoa groaned again.

"I'll get you out of there, Rinoa. Just hang on."

Flipping the hatch fully open, he vaulted up into the bin, landing in a pile of smelly bags. Rinoa looked ok – the only things hurt were her pride and dignity. "I can't believe he took me out with one blow." She muttered as Squall picked one of the bags off of her. "I didn't even have enough time to pulse out a message to the others. I barely had enough time to put up the Protect."

"I know." Squall said. "I'm not surprised. I kinda figured he'd be expecting us."

"What makes you say that?" Rinoa asked, frowning as he helped her to her feet. "If you knew it was a trap, why did we come!? We could have gone to the party!!"

Squall rolled his eyes. "I thought the both of us would have been enough to detain him…but we're obviously up against someone with incredible power here."

It was Rinoa's turn to roll her eyes. "Gee, ya think?" She wiped down her blue cut-off cardigan and looked up into the blue Estharian sky. "Well, the others must be worried about what happened to us. Shouldn't we be getting back?"

Squall thought for a minute…before shaking his head slowly. "No. The guy didn't kill us when he ran into us – and we're not dead, so he didn't come back. Which most probably means he's not coming back at all. This is the perfect opportunity to check out the White SeeD's place."

Rinoa frowned again. "If he's not coming back, why do we have to check? I mean, if he's not coming back, he's probably covered his tracks anyways."

Squall smiled down at her. "Let's just do it. I'll keep thinking about it unless we do."

Rinoa rolled her eyes again. "Fine. Just give me a hand out of this stinky bin. Ewww…"

*          *            *

Zell opened his eyes painfully, finding it unbearably bright within the room.

His head throbbed. He had a second heartbeat within his brain – a '5th Circle of Hell' headache, the kinds only attributed to severe tequila abuse and gunshot wounds.

He seemed to be strapped to something – am upright table of sorts. His arms and legs were securely locked down, and several metal straps criss-crossed his torso. Even his head had been strapped down. He had the feeling he wasn't going anywhere without assistance soon.

He couldn't see because of the light – someone had been uncourteous enough to place a burning light right in his face – but he could still hear over the sound of his blood rushing through his ears. A door opened, close by, and he closed his eyes quickly, feigning unconsciousness.

One…two…three…four people walked into the room. One smelled of gun smoke and cheap cologne – Irvine, the turncoat. Another smelled of blood with a slight antiseptic scent – Zell figured this to be Sam. The third person didn't smell at all. No BO, no cologne, no nothing. The fourth smelled like blood, and had a slight perfume odour, female. Zell hazarded a guess for it to be Emily.

Irvine spoke, his voice sounding like he was in a sleepy shock.. "Hyne…what have you done to him?"

"Nothing." The woman muttered, the sound of a slap rebounding around the room. It was defiantly Emily.

Irvine cried out in pain sharply – before his cry was cut short suddenly.

"How long will that hold him now?" No-Smell said. Zell swore he had heard the voice before.

"Another day or so." Emily replied. "I'm amazed of how many times I've had to cast it on him. For a man who's magically impotent, his will is stronger then I thought."

"Whatever." Sam said suddenly, his voice almost making Zell start. He was really, _really_ close to him. "What are we to do with the Hunter?"

Someone stepped forward, and a delicate hand touched his chest, running a trace down his formal coat. "I say we have a bit of fun…" Emily said, the sound of a knife being drawn making Zell curse inwardly.

"No. We'll need him alive." No-Smell said sharply, his tone commanding. 

Emily made a disappointed sound, and there was a small thunk of the knife retuning to its sheath. "I don't see why. If he gets free, I don't think he'd be as lenient on me as he was in the Tournament."

There was a throaty chuckle from Sam. "What's wrong, Sis? Afraid of him?"

Emily said nothing.

"Wake him up. We need to know just exactly how much he knows." No-Smell ordered.

Sam snorted. "Come on. He knows about as much as the puppet."

There was a short, tense silence, before Zell felt the sharp sting of a slap across his tattooed cheek. He opened his eyes then, the light assaulting them relentlessly.

"Good afternoon, Hunter." Sam said, moving to block the light. His usually happy face was now one of business, his hazel eyes deadly, his lips set into a thin line. "Have a good sleep?"

Zell chose not to answer. Instead he tried to pull his arms from the restraints, the metal creaking from the strain.

Sam slapped him again, causing him to stop. "Don't try it, Hunter. Even if you break your adamantine locks, you still have to get past all the guards and, of course, us."

Zell grimaced. "Can you turn the light off? I've got a splitting headache."

Sam turned his head, looking at someone behind the light, and it mercifully died down, turning Zell's headache from a painful throb to an annoying twinge in the back of his head. "Thanks." He muttered.

"Don't mention it." Sam replied, before head butting him viciously.

Zell saw stars, and his nose began to throb, the initial pain now unhindered by the killer headache he had only moments before. Something trickled past his mouth. Blood. His nose was bleeding again. "Ow…fuck…"

Now that the light was down, he could see a little better. Emily stood beside Sam, up close and personal, her pale yet beautiful face not exactly giving Zell a boost in moral. He saw Irvine standing just in the back of the room, now dressed in his usual cowboy gear, his eyes slightly glazed as he rested his shotgun on his shoulder.

And just beside Irvine, stood the former President of Galbadia. President Deling. Zell had no idea what his first name was, and right now, he couldn't give a shit. "Hiya Deling…you're looking surprisingly _alive_." Zell muttered with a grin.

Deling walked forward, smiling a winning smile, a politician's smile. He was dressed in a politicians clothing too – a suit and tie combo, his shoes shining brightly. "Hello, Mr. Dincht. I've heard a lot about you. I can't say it's a pleasure meeting you, however." His voice was clipped and cultured, the Galbadian accent evident in every syllable.

"The feeling's mutual, buddy."

Sam suddenly punched Zell in the guts, causing the SeeD to gag, his wind knocked out of him. Deling walked forward, placing a hand on Sam shoulder. "He might be a deceptive little shit…but he's loyal to my cause. So make sure you don't get him angry."

Zell spat out something that shouldn't have come up and looked at Sam. His look would have stopped death in its tracks. "Touch me again, and I'll kill you."

Sam simply smiled.

"I know what you're thinking, Mr. Dincht." Deling said, turning and walking back over to the other end of the room, clasping his hand behind his back. "You're thinking, 'this is the bit where you tell me your diabolical schemes for world domination'. I'm a correct?"

Zell smiled his own smile. "Actually, now that I know what the pieces of the puzzle look like, I can fit them into the right places. I don't know how you survived Edea's attack…but I do know you're motive to killing Justice. You figure that taking out the 'man' and putting yourself back in the international hot seat, you'd be able to pick up where Edea left you."

Deling turned slowly. His smile wavered slightly, but remained up. "You're smarter then some people give you credit." He said, his voice full of ice as he looked at Sam.

"Oh yeah. I'm a whole bundle of hidden goodies." Zell growled.

"Tell me about it…" Emily said wantingly, moving forward to press herself against his leg.

Zell looked down at her with a bad taste in his mouth. "Down girl." He muttered.

Sam placed a firm hand on Emily's shoulder and pulled her off, causing her to stagger back a step. "Get outside. Now."

Emily gave Sam a look of pure evil, before turning and sauntering out, slamming the door behind her with a huff.

Sam turned to Zell. "Sisters…" He muttered.

Zell rolled his eyes. "Wouldn't know about it, dickhead."

Sam shook his head with a smile. "Bravado wont get you anywhere, Hunter."

"Oh yeah? Try saying that without me strapped up like a gimp."

"What, you want to take me on like we did back at the dance hall?"

Deling shook his head. "Sam, calm down, and Mr Dincht, I'll ask you to keep your words polite, for your own sake."

"Or what? You'll put me under your control like you did with Irvine?"

Deling smiled evilly, his voice laced with malice. "Or I'll put your lovely girlfriend under my control…just like I did with Irvine. I'm sure we will have a lot of fun with that scenario, wont we?" He turned to Irvine. "Guard him. Sam, come with me. We still have the Laguna issue to go over."

Zell's eyes widened, the biting threat of Angel suddenly swept aside but Deling's finishing words to Sam. "Wait! Laguna?!"

But they were gone.

*          *            *

Rinoa looked up from the over-tuned desk. "Nope. There's nothing of _any_ relevance here."

Squall looked up from the fireplace. "Keep looking."

They had entered the room to find it completely ransacked. The desks and beds had been ripped apart, the closets had been completely emptied of everything, and a large pile of papers had been burned within the fireplace. Squall had begun to sift through the ashes when Rinoa had reported her findings – nothing – and looked back down.

_This guy is good…_Squall mused to himself. _A textbook case of covering his tracks. Even if we got a SeeD Crime Scene unit in here, we most probably wouldn't find any fingerprints or stuff like that. This guy has destroyed all his possible hiding places, burned any incriminating evidence, and disappeared. We most probably stumbled on him as he made his escape…so close, yet so far._

Something suddenly caught his eye as he ran his fingers through the papers once more. "Hello…" He muttered to himself, pulling a piece of blue paper from the bottom of the pile. Amazingly it had escaped the fire.

It was a blueprint of the Ragnarok, right down to it's service entrances and exits. Squall narrowed his eyes. _Here it is. Irrefutable proof that a SeeD was a mole._ His eyes trailed down to the bottom of the paper, looking for the log-in name for the printout. _And the winner is…Irvine. Why am I not surprised?_

"Squall?" Rinoa called suddenly from the bedroom. "Can you come in her for a second?"

Squall folded the piece of paper and stuffed it into a pocket, before moving into the bedroom. "What have you found?"

"Photos…of Emily and Grey…" She said, her eyes full of tears as she passed them up from the vent from which someone had hidden them.

Squall flicked through the photos, each one making his face turn more and more stoic. By the time he stuffed them into the same pocket as the blueprint, his face was a stony mask. _This isn't right. A blue-print of the Ragnarok with Irvine's name clearly on it…these pics of Grey and Emily…_

Rinoa stood, placing a hand on Squall's shoulder. "Squall…you're retreating into yourself again. We can't help each other if I don't know what you're thinking."

She could have easily read his mind, but she respected his privacy, she trusted him. He blinked, looking down at her with a semblance of emotion within his eyes. "There's…there's something not right. The stuff we've found…it's too convenient. It's almost like…"

"…Someone want's Grey…wants SeeD…to take the fall for this." Rinoa finished.

"And Irvine. I found a blueprint of the Ragnarok with his name on the log-in section."

Rinoa lifted her hands to her mouth. "Oh my Hyne…" Her shock was easily recognisable. The only way that the Assassin could have gotten the blueprints would have only been through Irvine's cooperation. The security system on the Ragnarok was too secure, even for a White SeeD. Irvine was the mole. "…I'm sorry, Squall. I didn't think of checking him…he's always been so guarded…so intelligent…"

Squall drew her into his arms. "It's ok. I know Irvine. He's a womaniser and a gambler, but he isn't a traitor. I'll bet you anything he's being forced to do this."

Rinoa gulped back her tears and looked up a Squall. "We…we need to get back to the suite…we need to meet with the others…tell them what we've learned."

Squall nodded. "You're right. Let's go."

As Rinoa moved out of the room, Squall paused for a second. Looking down at a wheelchair tipped onto it's side, he frowned, confused.

_The remaining White SeeD…Sam…he's only got one leg. Where is he?_

*          *            *

Zell looked at Irvine sadly. The glazed look in his eyes – the posture – it all screamed _I'm not in control of myself._

Zell had been staring at Irvine for almost a full half an hour. The only response he got back was a blank stare, with the occasional muscle twitch of a body-part wanting to move. Zell had seen it all before. Seifer had experienced the same symptoms – blank stare, twitchy muscles – during his time as the Knight for Sorceress Edea.

"Irvine?" Zell called softly, deciding to try to see if he could get through to him. "Irvine? Do you know who I am?"

"Of course. You're Zell Dincht." Was the autonomous reply. 

_Another symptom…what other Blue's does Emily have? _"Right…so you know that I'm your friend."

"My only friends are Sam and Emily. I serve President Deling. I need no one else."

_Right…next you'll be telling me you're Emily's Knight, like Seifer._ "Do you know why they are going for Laguna, Irvine?"

"You figure it out."

Zell let his head roll loose, the strap holding it up arresting it immediately. _Crap…I can't think like this…c'mon, Dincht, think! Why would Deling want to take out Laguna too?_

He narrowed his eyes. _Justice needs to be taken out of the picture because then Deling can regain the Presidency and rule Galbadia with an iron fist, like before…but why would he want to wipe out Laguna? I mean, Esthar and Galbadia aren't exactly chums internationally, but…_ It dawned on Zell, the answer hitting him like a sledgehammer to the head. "In taking out both Justice and Laguna in less then two days, he'll throw the two most powerful nations in Gaia into confusion." He muttered to himself, closing his eyes, as if to block the truth. "And this leaves him with two excellent options for himself."

"Right, Mr. Dincht!" Deling said suddenly, his voice behind Zell.

Zell couldn't turn around, but he had a feeling that Deling could see him – he was most probably in an interrogation room, much like a police interrogation room, with a mirrored window on one side of the room to allow people to look in. And, obviously, these kinds of rooms needed intercom systems. "Is that what you're going to do, Deling? Are you going to take over Galbadia, then immediantly launch an attack on the weakened Estharians!?"

"My gods, Zell, you are very bright indeed."

"Why, dammit! Why hurt the Estharians?! All they want to be left alone!!"

There was a pause, the tension growing as silence burned into Zell's ears. Suddenly the door in front of him opened, and Deling walked in, closely followed by Sam. Deling walked forward, his hands clasped behind his back, his head bowed in silent contemplation, as if he was searching for the right words. "We could let them alone…allow them to flourish, like they did before, under the Sorceress Adel…allow them to grow stronger…allow them to grow more confident, more positive in their defence capabilities…then their offence capabilities…and then, my SeeD friend, the whole world is in danger."

Zell rolled his eyes sarcastically. "Lemme guess. You're going to do the world a favour and squash the Estharians before they actually become a threat?"

Deling looked up, his face deadly serious. "Yes, Mr. Dincht. I will."

Zell looked at him, his face deadpan. If he could shake his head, he would have. "You're a nut, Deling. A big, fat, _ugly_ nut. You're a nutbag! A complete loon. And, if you continue to follow this…_idiotic_ path, I'm afraid I'm going to have to open a can of whoopass…a_ll…over…you_."

Deling ran a hand down his face and shook his head sadly. "Make him bleed, please."

Same walked up to Zell and pressed a switch next to his pelvis, the straps around his chest drawing into the back of the table. A small shelf opened just next to where Zell's chest was, jutting out about a few inches. Grabbing Zell's shirt, he pulled it to the side roughly, tearing the expensive shirt open, revealing the coagulating bullet wound in Zell's chest, causing a new pain to flare for Zell to consider. "They say the SeeDs were the first to try this technique…" Sam said slowly, reaching into a pocket and pulling out a few items, placing them on the shelf. "…But I know that it was a small resistance faction in Timber that first began to experiment with these little toys."

Zell watched as Sam deliberately and slowly passed each item in front of Zell's eyes, just to make sure that Zell knew what he was in store for.

A Dymano Stone.

A small spool of copper wire.

A Steel Orb.

And an X-Potion.

"Ah crap…" Zell muttered.

*          *            *

Squall and Rinoa stumbled into their room, feeling dejected, tired and alone. Squall allowed Rinoa to wander into the bathroom to clean up, before he sat on the edge of the bed.

He felt like someone had sucked all the energy out of him, the findings at the White SeeD quarters not helping his mood. Sleeping on the pavement for most of the night hadn't helped either.

He looked over at the phone on the bedside dresser with a bad taste in his mouth. He didn't want to call Selphie to see if Irvine had come in last night. The walk back to the suite had been eye opening in itself.

Everywhere the Sorceress and her Knight turned, they found more information that their unofficial mission was a failure. A radio blared the finding of the President's body outside a service tunnel of the Estharian Presidential House, burnt to a crisp and shot several times at point-blank range. Passing a TV on in a café, they saw the TV news – images of the melted entrance of the tunnel, the body being carried away by paramedics…

Squall shook his head and pulled his gloves off his hands, tossing them over his shoulder and falling back. He looked up at the ceiling in defeat.

He heard the suite's door open, and looked up to see Selphie and Angel walk in. Blinking, he rubbed his eyes and sat up, clearing his throat. Depression later, leader time now. "Hrmph…so, how'd the party go?"

Selphie looked down at Squall's disappointed face and mimicked it. "Terrible. We lost Justice, Zell _and_ Irvine are missing…and we didn't get to have any real fun."

Angel stepped forward, her voice strong. "Squall…sir…I'm sure that Zell can take care of himself. He wouldn't allow himself to get captured without a reason." At the word 'reason', however, her voice broke, a single tear running down her face.

"I'm sure that Zell wouldn't have allowed himself to be captured unless it was voluntary either…however, we do have to assume that he _has_ been captured, against his will…and that Irvine played a part in his capture."

Selphie's face seemed to collapse as she sank to her knees. "Oh, noooo…" she mumbled, looking down at the floor sadly. "Not Irvine…he wouldn't do something like this…he wouldn't…"

"I know, Selphie. But there's nothing we can do in the state we're in now. Rinoa and I are tired, and you and Angel aren't exactly thinking straight. We need to calm down and pool our ideas, figure out who is doing this and why."

*          *            *

The last shockwave ripped it's way painfully through Zell's body, causing him to fall unconscious, his tense muscles giving up and collapsing without resistance.

Deling, now sitting in a chair, sighed as he looked up at the incapacitated Hunter. "Wake him up."

Sam nodded to his commander-in-chief, and worked the Steel Orb out of Zell's mouth, setting it down with the Dynamo Stone gently on the little pop-out shelf, before reaching up with a hand and shoving a rigid finger into the bloody bullet hole, just left of where Zell's heart should have been.

Zell groaned, before yelling in agony. Sam wiggled the finger around a bit, making sure he had Zell's attention, before ripping the finger out. The procedure had torn the scab the body had been working on over the night, and blood began to seep from the wound once more, causing the already large stain on Zells shirt to grow larger.

Zell gritted his teeth and fought past the pain, battering down the want to grab Sam's head and place his fist where the cold eyes were. Instead he blazed an ice-cold glare at the traitorous White SeeD, a stare that would have chilled any normal person to the bone.

Sam simply smirked. "He got you a good one. Close enough to shock the heart into creating unconsciousness, but not to kill. Headache express, but no lead, unfortunately. I would have had so much fun cutting that little lead sucker out of you…while you were awake, of course."

Zell tried to shake his head, fighting the rage down. "Why…? Why are…you doing this…to me?" He grunted, blinking in a vain attempt to keep the sweat out of his eyes.

Deling laughed out loud, a bellowing kind of laugh that froze Zell's blood. "Why not?" He retorted. "To tell the truth, I was kind of expecting a little more from you, Mr. Dincht. We've only been torturing you for…" He looked down at an expensive looking watch strapped to his wrist. "…Three hours now, and you've already begun to sink into the 'questioning' phase. After that will come the 'anger' phase, then the 'pleading' phase – my favourite – before the subject will finally succumb to our incessant electrocution."

"You…you bastard…" Zell was having trouble talking, the effort to speak taking up way too much energy for him in his situation. "You…you should have stayed…in hell where you…belonged, Deling."

Deling stood then, walking up to Zell, his smile seeming almost too happy, verging on the psychotic. "Who ever said I was that Deling?"

And Zell watched, in absolute horror, as Deling opened his shirt, revealing a mixture of wires and metal, a mechanical heart beating right alongside the glass container with a brain swimming in some blueish fluid.

_…A flash of light – the voice of a man – pain…_

Sam nodded to his commander-in-chief, and worked the Steel Orb out of Zell's mouth, setting it down with the Dynamo Stone gently on the little pop-out shelf, before reaching up with a hand and shoving a rigid finger into the bloody bullet hole, just left of where Zell's heart should have been.

Zell groaned, before yelling in agony. Sam wiggled the finger around a bit, making sure he had Zell's attention, before ripping the finger out. The procedure had torn the automatic healing the body had been doing over the night, and blood began to seep from the wound once more, causing the already large stain on Zells shirt to grow larger.

Zell gritted his teeth and fought past the pain, battering down the want to grab Sam's head and place his fist where the cold eyes were. Instead of wishing Sam was dead, he tried to take his surroundings in. _What the?_

"He got you a good one. Close enough to shock the heart into creating unconsciousness, but not to kill. Headache express, but no lead, unfortunately. I would have had so much fun pulling that little lead sucker out of you…while you were awake, of course." Sam said, Zell watching as his own confused face was reflected in Sam's.

"You…you just said that…" Zell gasped.

Sam frowned. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

Zell ignored him. "Deling…you should be deader…then the T-Rexaur burgers…I had made a few days ago. Edea's attack…should have _killed you…_ _killed you!_"

Deling stood walking forward slowly. Zell tried to fight the images of Deling opening his shirt in the hallucination from the torture, but kept having them pop back up in his brain. Deling, however, didn't reveal any wires or jarred-brains stored in his torso. He simply stopped before the bleeding and sweating SeeD and cocked his head to one side, his smile not wavering one iota. "Should I tell you…it would be terribly cliché, the evil genius revealing his miraculous escape…"

Zell failed to shrug, instead snorting a small laugh. "What the hell…you may as well. It wouldn't really…matter anyways."

Deling's smile grew larger. "No…even in the possibility of your rescue, the information of my resurrection wouldn't mean much to anybody." He turned and walked back to his chair, laughing as he went. "That's what I like about you SeeDs…you put too much faith in brute strength, and not enough in careful planning."

Zell couldn't argue, even if he had the strength to. He had always been one for the 'punch first and not ask questions' routine.

Deling sat back. "Are you ready?"

"It's not like…I'm going…anywhere."

"As you've already guessed, the attack Edea made on my body was an absolute one. It had been like she had cast Ultima on me – instead of utterly destroying my corporeal body, she drew my spiritual essence into herself, thus rendering my body a literally lifeless husk, unable to hold anything." He leaned back in the plush chair, savouring the comfort that Zell was being denied. "However, unlike your SeeDs, I made sure to fully check on all my resources on a Sorceresses powers before even considering using the mad woman's powers for my own gain."

"I found that, in the event of a Sorceresses death, the Sorceress must pass her powers to another Sorceress in order for the original to die in peace. Ancient studies have shown Sorceresses have walked for days and days to find a worthy receiver of her power…but all the while, the Sorceress, her own corporeal body unable to contain her massive powers under the immense damages it had sustained, leaked the energies she had built within her life."

Zell closed his eyes. "Shit…when Edea passed…her powers onto Rinoa…"

"Yes. In that instant where she passed the power from her to your young friend, my spirit escaped, travelling immediately back to my body, where it had lay in deep freeze for the months and months it had taken for you to finally catch up to her." Deling chuckled. "However, our own cryogenics laboratories aren't nearly as good as the ones at Esthar – my body had been fully healed, but had suffered severe internal damage."

Zell sighed. "You're not human." He spat. "You're a Zombie."

Deling's smile grew even more. "That's right. When the scientists tried to revive me, they found that their magic and items wouldn't work on my corpse. In a flash of blind inspiration, a young lady cast Zombie on me – and, to the scientist's surprise, it worked. Unfortunately, I cannot smell or taste anything, and my sense of touch has almost completely left my body – but, for lack of a better word, I am_ immortal_."

Zell's eyes were opened in a flash, his fatigue disappearing as quickly as the pain. "Piss off! I've experienced the side effects of the Zombie magic!! The mind-numbing need to feed…the burning of the Holy Water…the knowledge that your soul was _this close_ to rotting into nothingness…"

Deling stood, loosening his tie and opening the top-button of his formal shirt. "You do not believe me? Sam?"

Without warning Sam suddenly spun away from Zell and slammed his fingers into Deling's throat, the sheer force of the attack causing the knife-like hand to stab straight into the oesophagus. Normally a killing blow, Sam pulled his hand out succinctly, wiping the black blood on his shirt.

Deling didn't heed the blood flow one bit, instead craning his severed neck back, allowing Zell to see the full repercussions of the revival.

The wounds bleeding spluttered out, before slowing to a trickle, before stopping altogether. Zell could see the windpipe reform, the torn muscle melting back into itself, before the neck muscles reformed around that, and the skin covered the red muscles pulsing beneath. He lowered his neck and smiled at Zell. "What did I tell you? Immortal."

"This…this is bullshit…" Zell muttered, finding it hard to keep speaking. _I think I liked it better when he was a robot…dammit, c'mon, Zell! Keep em talking! You need to regain all the strength you can!!_ "A Zombie spell is a Status magic…it's not suppose to give the receiver immortality…" his voice wavered off as he suddenly remembered the words that Clara had spoke to him on the battlefield, the words smashing into his mind like a freight train.

"Right again, Zell. Unlike Emily, Sheran and I have recovery based Blue magic. Not Status. You're going to have to rip all my limbs off to kill me."

"Hyne…Emily used a Blue on you…"

Deling shook his head in amazement. "I thought he wasn't smart, Sam! This boy just keeps pulling surprises out of nowhere!!" He leaned forward, creating a steeple with his fingertips. "That's right, Mr. Dincht. Emily did cast one of her Blue's on me. I'm amazed it's lasted this long, to tell the truth."

"So you've been waiting in the wings for an opportunity like this for…three? Four years? Why now? Why not two years ago?"

"That, Mr. Dincht, is a complicated and political answer, that even you might not understand – but I'll try and dumb it down for you. In order for my plan to take it's fullest and be it's most effective, it had to be pulled off when people thought that the Deling regime was _dead._ _Buried_. _Forgotten_."

It all tumbled into place in Zell's pain-addled mind, like an intricate jigsaw puzzle. "People wouldn't fight a hostile takeover after almost five years of living under Justice's regime…and the Estharian people would fold like a bad hand if Laguna ever bit it…you've really planned this out, haven't you?"

"Exactly, Mr. Dincht. My gods, apart from the betrayals, the torture, the gunshot, you've become very inquisitive."

"Maybe it's loosened a rusty part of my brain."

Deling's smile wavered. "Unfortunately, it's also loosened your manners. Sam, place proceed, I think we've allowed Mr. Dincht enough time to recuperate himself without the X-Potion."

"Yes, Mr. President." Sam agreed, picking up the Steel Orb once more. He narrowed his eyes, tossing the ball from hand to hand, the copper wiring twisted around it springing it like a ball on a tether, before he shoved it roughly back into Zell's mouth.

It surprised Zell a lot more then Zell would have figured, however. For something had drawn his attention from his attacker, distracting him.

Irvine had blinked.

*          *            *

Ouch! Poor Zell!! I kind know how he feels! Having to listen to my sister's dance music whilst she drive makes me feel like grabbing an small metallic ball with an electric current running through it and shoving it down my throat!! When you listen to as much heavy-rock as I do (my ears are bleeding as I write! YES!!), anything seems pale and confusing by comparison.

You know, a lot of you people e-mailed me saying that I killed Zell! Now, I'm all for hurting the poor bastard – but for Hyne's sakes, I'm not gonna kill him!!

_…or am I? Teehee…I love it…_

_Keep reading and reviewing!! This story will be winding up soon! And I've just had an epiphany!!_

_A tag battle…Rinoa and Zell VS Sam and Emily…just a thought…talk to me, people, do you wanna see that, or do you want this to remain a one-man show?_


	27. Regaining The Sense

Ch 27 – Regaining The Sense

The door suddenly burst open, a man stepping in quickly and shutting the door behind him.

As quickly as he had stepped inside the room, Squall was all over him, his LionHeart blazing into life as he pushed the man's back against the wall, the energy blade shimmering millimetres away from his neck.

"Hyne, son, let off will you?!" Laguna cried, looking terrified as his son suddenly realised who he had almost decapitated.

Squall stepped away from his father and pressed the 'lock' button on the door, a satisfying click noting the barring of the door, before turning to face Laguna. "Haven't you ever heard of knocking, Laguna?"

"Sorry, son, but my security detail was right behind me, and I needed to get in quickly."

Squall frowned, watching as Laguna walked over to one of the chairs and sat down gracefully, silently greeting Selphie and Angel, who were sitting on the bed, with a finger-to-forehead salute. Laguna was dressed in travelling clothes – western travelling clothes, not the Estharian official robes he usually wore. Squall also noticed the Desperado machine gun cradled in Laguna's arms, and the ammo pouches strapped onto the Galbadian-army issue webbing he was using as a belt.

Squall knew instantly what Laguna had on his mind. "No way. You're staying here, Laguna! It's too dangerous!!"

Laguna rolled his eyes. "C'mon, Squall! I've got more experience then you rookies could ever hope to poke a stick at, and besides that, where else would I be safer then with the Sorceress Heroes?" He frowned, thinking of the contradiction he had just made…then shrugged it off with a grin.

Rinoa walked out of the bathroom, having spent a good hour in there scrubbing her skin raw to rid herself of the smell of garbage. Clad in only a towel, she took one look at the old man sitting in the chair and turned around, going back into the bathroom. "What's he doing here?!" She cried, the shock evident in her voice. She had though that only the girls and her Knight would have been in the room! Not only that, but Laguna always had this bad habit of winking at her whenever Squall looked away. She knew he was only trying to be friendly, but _hyne…_

"He was just leaving, Rinoa." Squall said forcefully, looking at Laguna with daggers in his eyes. "Laguna, leave. There's no way we can be sure the Assassin won't come after you as well. We can't look for Zell and Irvine _and_ keep looking after you either."

Laguna stood, puffing his chest out and gripping the butt of his machine gun. "Squall, I am the President of Esthar, the most advanced nation on Gaia…and not only that, I'm your father. I know what's best."

Squall rolled his eyes. Not only was Laguna pulling rank officially, he was also doing so family wise…not that Squall cared about the family-rank, but officially, Laguna could do anything he wanted. "Fine…but if we get into the shit, you'd better stick to the back. OK?"

Laguna nodded with a huge grin on his face and flopped down onto the bed next to Selphie. "So, what's the plan, gang?"

"We find the people he kidnapped Zell and Irvine and we kill them." Selphie said coldly, looking down at him with dead eyes. "Simple."

Laguna shifted away from her uncertainly, bumping into Angel. She smiled at him sadly and shifted to make room on her side of the bed.

Squall face-palmed – _guarding my Sorceress AND the President of Esthar, not to forget the librarian – _and walked over to one of Rinoa's cases, pulling out some of her clothes. He knocked on the door of the bathroom.

"If it isn't Squall, I don't wanna know about it!!" Came the yelled reply.

"I'm coming in, ok?" Squall warned, before opening the dor and closing it before Laguna could peek in. Angel clocked him over the head as he craned over Selphie to get a better view.

Rinoa accepted the clothes gratefully, putting them on as Squall stood with his back to the door. "What are we going to do with him?" she asked, pulling on her black shirt before flicking out her blue cut-off cardigan.

Squall thought for a minute. "He could prove useful…get us places we couldn't go before…and if push comes to shove, we'll just get Selphie to cast Barrier on him. That ought to keep him safe until most of the danger's gone. And besides, he is kinda right…he's still a pretty good shot with that machine gun, no matter what he says…"

Rinoa pulled the last knot on her boots tight, before standing and giving Squall and quick peck on the cheek. "Well…just as long as we keep him safe…"

He smiled and nodded, before opening the door for her.

*          *            *

_What was going on?_

_Darkness swam in his vision, and everything was far away, like he was looking into a pair of binoculars the wrong way. His head felt like a lump of stone – heavy and dense. He couldn't move anything – he was frozen._

_He wanted to scream out, but then he saw, in the far distance, Zell, strapped onto an upright table. He was being tortured…by…_

_His eyes narrowed. Sam? It was Sam? But how? He didn't have a leg. He had even been shown the stump – Sam had told Irvine about how the medics had been masters at healing the wound over – but he was walking on two legs. He even seemed to be able to move pretty fast._

_Why couldn't he move? Was he strapped down too? He couldn't move his head!_

_What was going on?!_

*          *            *

Zell's eyes didn't leave Irvine's for one second, the fact that his friend was still within the autonomic husk being the only hope that the SeeD had left. He watched Irvine narrow his eyes ever so slightly, and felt the hope flare within him once more.

Not only that, Emily was nowhere to be seen, and Deling and Sam were having too much fun electrocuting Zell to pay any attention to their humble little servant.

I need to hold on just a bit longer…I need to make sure he's back with me… 

The final shockwave passed through his body, and Zell slumped forward, his body being caught by the metal straps immediately. He wasn't so sure how much more he could take.

"Excellent, Mr. Dincht!" Deling said happily. "You've surprised me yet again. I had no idea you were this strong."

Zell managed to work the Steel Orb out from behind his teeth and spat it out painfully. "Never…one to…disappoint…" he whispered, his throat feeling dry. He could still taste the metallic ball in his mouth. His teeth were numb from the burning electricity.

"No…you're not…you know, I'm a fan of yours? You're fights at the Tournament were spectacular…"

Zell smiled. "I…was…only…playing around. You…should see…me when I…get serious…"

Deling's smile grew bigger. "Yes. Like the battle between you and Clara Justice? I saw when you decided to take the 'kid gloves' off. You _were_ impressive."

Zell chuckled. "Thanks."

Deling nodded to him, before standing. "Sam? Do you wish to take a break now?"

"Not really."

Deling ignored him. "Sam's going to take a break now. I'll send someone else in to entertain you in the meantime." With that, Deling gestured for the traitorous SeeD to follow him, walking out the door.

Sam watched Deling go, before punching Zell in the stomach, causing the Hunter to choke up some more blood, before following the dictator.

Zell slumped forward, unable to keep conscience for any longer.

*          *            *

"Damn you! Stop it! Friggin stop hurting him!!" 

_It was no use. No matter how much Irvine screamed at Sam to stop the torture, he couldn't make his body say the words. He could only rant and rave in the little corner of his mind that was still his own._

_They finally stopped, the man sitting down standing and saying something that sounded like something muffled by cotton wool. Irvine watched in horror as he recognised the man as the former President of Galbadia. "What the hell is going on here?!" He screamed at the top of his lungs._

_Deling moved out of the room, before being followed by Sam, but not after punching Zell visioucly in the guts, making his friend spurt blood through his gritted teeth and slump forward, unconscious._

_Irvine could only tear himself apart as he watched the blood drip down out of Zell's mouth and nose, his bruised face mercifully still as he slept._

_Irvine raised an ethereal fist and smashed it down onto something. "Fuck!!" he screamed in exasperation._

_A sudden sound made him jump, and amazingly his vision awkwardly swung down to look at his feet, at the shotgun lying beside his leather shoes._

_"What the hell…?"_

_"Aw, escape you did it?" A woman's voice suddenly said, the words chillingly clear in his mind._

*          *            *

A sudden clatter awoke Zell from his stupor, causing him to look up in confusion, his mind awkwardly alert through the pain.

Irvine had dropped his gun.

Zell wanted to frown, but that would have caused even more pain, so he simply watched at what he would do.

Irvine looked down at the gun, his hand balled tightly into the fist it had made when he dropped it. He looked pitiful, like a man who had been strung up by his feet only inches off the ground, his salvation only mere centimetres out of his grasp.

The door opened, and a slight figure walked in. "Aw, escape you did it?" Emily asked sweetly, as if talking to a child who had dropped his ice-cream cone. "Here you go." Reaching down, she picked the heavy weapon up with both hands, grabbing Irvine's left hand and wrapping it around the handle of the shotgun. 

He looked at her with wide eyes. "Thank you." He said automatically, swinging the big gun up and onto his shoulder.

She nodded to him and walked over to Zell, stopping only inches away from him and smiling. "It's the magic…makes them do anything I ask em to, but their motor skills aren't all that flash."

Zell swallowed some blood that had been building in his mouth. "It's…like a Confuse…right?" _But it's a Blue…it takes over their mind instead of muddling them up…_

Emily smiled. "Correct. Well, Zell…imagine this. I have you all to myself, under the President's orders…what fun we'll be having."

"Like…that fun you…had with…Grey?"

Emily smiled, opening the black leather coat she had been wearing and pulling it off slowly. "Maybe…if you're a naughty boy." Beneath, strapped to her chest, was a baldric covered in sharp looking knives.

"I…guess…I'd better behave…then." Zell said with a chuckle.

"Oh no, Hunter…" Emily said sadly, drawing one of the knives from her baldric slowly, running the flat of the blade along her face in a…seductive way. "…My goal in this little exercise is to make you curse the day you ever met me."

"Believe me hon…I already do."

Emily's smile faded, to be replaced with a determined glare. "You know? Through out all of your adventures, you've never sustained any scarring to the face. Let's say we remedy that, huh?" Zell gulped as she lifted the knife's edge to meet with his tattoo. "How about we remove this tattoo first, hmm?" she asked. "It's not exactly very good looking."

"Look who's talking…" Zell gasped. "I'm…not the one…with a ton…of metal coming…out of my…face…"

Emily drew the knife back and slapped Zell's face with her other hand. Amazingly, she looked shocked, as if Zell had insulted her somehow. Zell had to frown at that. "What's up…? Did I insult you…?"

Emily didn't look determined now. She looked _angry_. "Lets not worry abut the face now…we can get to that later. Deling and Sam are gone…we can take our time. Let's start with something…lower." On 'lower' Emily grabbed Zell's crotch, giving it an almighty squeeze, bringing tears to the SeeD's eyes and causing him to groan in agony. Emily licked the tears from his cheeks before crouching down, working with his belt in order to get his pants down…

Before Irvine stepped up behind her, swinging the butt of his shotgun down, the loud crack of the wooden stock connecting with the back of her head echoing all around the room. She seemed to pause, looking up at Zell with a confused look on her face – before Irvine swung the gun like a bat, the stock connecting with her head so viciously it knocked her to the side, making her collide with the wall and slump down, out for the count.

Zell looked down at his unzipped zipper, then looked up at Irvine. "Took…your…friggin…time, man."

Irvine simply stood there, staring at him.

"You…gonna let me go…or are you gonna…just stare at me all day long?" Zell asked with a painful grin…before looking into Irvine's eyes.

The intense rage that had filled them while he had attacked Emily had been replaced with the blank stare.

*          *            *

"Shit! I had it!!" Irvine cried in frustration, balling his ethereal fists and shaking them in desperation. "Work, damn you, work!!"

_He had watched as Emily threatened Zell, feeling his rage build within him, and he realised he could feed off the rage, causing him to break free of the bondage his body was within and batter the bitch down._

_His initial plan over, however, his body resumed it's statuesque role, not moving, no matter how loud he yelled._

_"Crap…" He spat in defeat, throwing his hands down in desperation. "What am I gonna do?"_

_The sound of creaking metal made him looked up, however, as Zell began to fight against his restraints._

_*          *            *_

Irvine wasn't answering to his feeble pleas to free him. Zell realised he was gonna have to do it solo.

Closing his eyes, he drew in all the scraps of strength he had left; fighting for everything he had, focusing it all into his arms. His muscles bulging against the metal, he began to pull, the adamantine cutting into his flesh, the table creaking in protest as he pulled harder and harder…

…Before having to stop. His strength waning, his breaths laboured beyond belief, he realised that he barely had enough energy to even pull off a Limit Break. Even if he managed to free himself, it would be up to Irvine to get them out…and Irvine didn't seem like he was going to be any _real_ help any time soon.

"Friggin hell, Irvine!!" Zell suddenly spat, desperate to get any reaction from the gunfighter. "What the hell did you do that for?! Sure, you knocked her ass out, but when she wakes up, we're screwed!! You could have at least blasted my locks off, you useless sack of crap!!"

Talking was taking too much out of him, and he let his head hang on the strap binding it. He felt like he was going to vomit…he wasn't sure that he could take much more…

"C'mon, you Chicken-Wuss!! I'd bet Seifer'd be able to get outta this, no problem!!" Irvine suddenly grunted through gritted teeth. "Then he's pummel you into the ground, just for kicks!"

"Seifer couldn't hit the wide side of a barn!!" Zell muttered back, tensing his muscles at the re-emergence of his vendetta with Seifer. Amazingly, it gave back some of his strength, feeding his tired and battered muscles. "I…need more…" He groaned.

"You're so weak, I have to tie you down when we go on a picnic in case the breeze picks you!" Irvine grunted, his fists tightening around his gun, his words beginning to have more strength in them. "You couldn't fight your way out of a wet paper bag! You make me laugh, trying to break those straps! You couldn't do that even if you were at full strength!!"

There was one thing Zell hated most in the entire world. And that was being teased. "At least I can move under my own free will!!" He grunted, sweat beading on his forehead as a bolt from one of the straps suddenly sprang free.

"Move!? You're so slow, my grandmother could out-run you! And she's a hundred and five!!"

"Grrrrraaahh!!" Zell suddenly screamed, his left arm slashing out of the strap and smashing across Irvine's stony face, smacking him to the floor. Then Zell went limp, his strength completely gone.

Irvine lay on the floor for a second…before he stood. Twisting his head to the left to work the kinks out, he turned to Zell and smiled. "Thanks, man!! Uh…Zell? Aw crap…"

*          *            *

The ground flying away beneath them, Squall turned to Selphie. "You sure you're alright to fly?"

Selphie rolled her eyes. "Squall, it's not as if Irvine's dead or anything. Quit bugging me, huh!?"

Squall paused, before shrugging and going down the elevator, making his way to the leisure quarters, where a concerned Angel was trying to comfort a distraught Laguna. Squall waked in to see Angel with her arm around Laguna's shoulder, Laguna with his face buried in his hands. "I can't believe what they did to my ship…" He wept.

"I'm sure Zell had good reasons for all the damage that's been done…" Angel said soothingly, patting him on the back.

"The loading ramp almost fell off!! It's no longer space worthy! Do you know how much it costs to repair this thing?! I'm going to have to raise taxes again!! What was I on when I gave them permission to borrow it…"

"I think it was tequila, father." Squall said with a smile, walking over and sitting down on the sofa next to Angel. "That, or at least ten beers."

Laguna simply whimpered and shook his head sadly.

Rinoa walked out from behind the counter. "Do you want anything, Squall?"

"Just some water, please."

Rinoa set about getting a glass of water for her Knight, speaking as she grabbed a glass from a cupboard. "So, what's the next move?"

Squall leaned back, resting his arms on the back of the sofa. "Irvine managed to get to his quarters and grab his shotgun and a change of clothes just before he left, which where our break comes in." He looked over to Angel. "We fitted both Irvine's and Zell's weapons with tracking devices, in the event that they were captured. Zell's original Ehrgiez Gloves were modified, however, and when Grease Monkey gave him his Uber Ehrgiez Gauntlets, he also gave him a replica set of the original Ehrgiez Gloves. So the tracking unit for him was destroyed. However, Irvine's tracker was placed in the stock of his shotgun. It ought to still function."

Angel frowned. "Why only Irvine and Zell? Why not Selphie as well?"

"Because Selphie was checked by Rinoa."

Rinoa walked out, setting Squall's glass of water on the coffee table. "I can tell, if I concentrate, if someone is under mind-manipulation. When the whole incident with Zell's virus came up, I had to pass special magic to Selphie. I knew she was under her own control."

"So why didn't you check Irvine too?"

Rinoa simply shrugged and smiled. "I had no need."

Angel crossed her arms. "Some friends you guys are…"

Squall smiled sadly at her, reaching over to pick up his glass of water. "Unfortunately, in our line of work, you have to take precautions that you rather wouldn't. Anyways, it doesn't matter now. What matters now is that we find them. Selphie ought to be homing in on Irvine's frequency soon…if they haven't found the tracker, that is."

Rinoa sat on the edge of the sofa, placing a hand on Squall's head, sifting her fingers through his hair. "What I don't get is how Sam is the Assassin. Didn't Zell say he lost his leg during the selection process?"

"That's right. But the thing is, he never said he _saw_ Sam lose his leg. Also, if Sam _did_ lose his leg, there's a hundred ways to regain it. Maybe he's got Regen based Blues like Clara and Sheran did…or maybe he got a bionic leg…either way, he was able to capture Zell, and kill Justice. He's a force to be reckoned with."

Laguna looked up, wiping his eyes. "Justice isn't dead."

Rinoa fell off her seat as Squall sprang up. "What?!"

"He isn't dead. He was hanging on by a thread when the medics came, but he's being treated at the Esthar Official Hospital right now. The medics say that his girlfriend managed to save his life by drawing some magic from him and casting it on him…a Life, I presume…"

Squall sat back down with a thump, looking dumbfounded. "…He survived…incredible…"

Rinoa got up from where she fell and smacked Squall over the head, making him spill his water, before frowning. "Angel, I didn't know that Ma Dincht knew magic."

Angel smiled. "Of course. Zell always said how he used to come back home all beaten up after training, or fighting with monsters. She learned how to use paramagic because she hated waiting so long for him to heal."

Squall scrubbed the back of his head and scowled. "It's not all that uncommon, Rinoa. Lot's of civilians know White magic."

Laguna shrugged, back in happy spirits. "Well, the main thing is that Justice is on his way to revival, and the bad guys failed. Now all we need to do is track em down, put em down, and go home to knock back a few!"

Squall rolled his eyes and shook his head. Rinoa and Angel simply giggled.

*          *            *

Irvine, for all he was worth, was in a bit of trouble.

The Blue magic, he figured, must have been much like Confuse – causing the victim to not be able to control his/her own actions. However, a forceful blow like the one Zell gave him managed to knock him back to his senses – and also gave him a few extra minutes. He would have waited until he fully regained control, but Zell would have killed himself had Irvine not taken drastic action – thusly insult him until he couldn't take anymore.

Zell _hated_ being teased.

Now Irvine had a dilemma. Thankfully, the bad guys, confident their magic would work on the magically impotent SeeD, had given him all his weapons, plus loaded him full of ammo. He blasted the straps off Zell with a Vincent, hauled his bleeding body over his shoulders, and walked out the door as if nothing had happened.

Right into a room full of soldiers.

Hiding behind an overturned metal cabinet that had been next to the door, bullets whizzing over his head, Irvine grimaced._ Great one, Kinnes…get your mind taken over by SuperBitch back there, and now just draw attention to yourself by walking into a room chock full of guards._

He popped the shotgun open, feeding two fresh shells into the chambers before flipping it shut. _Well, I suppose I'd better find out how many guys I'm going for._

There was a brief pause in the gunfire going his way, and he took the opportunity to poke his fedora-covered head up. One quick look, and his head was back down, the air where it had been only milliseconds ago now full of sizzling bullets.

_About fifty guys…all armed with sub-machine guns, shotguns, and one guy with a paramilitary rifle…and they most probably know magic too…_He looked at the cabinet he was hiding behind. _This is going to be tough._

Quickly flashing up, he blasted off both barrels at the four guys trying to sneak up under the gunfire, the buckshot spreading to take em all down. He sat back down and cracked the gun open, the smoking shells flying out over the cabinet to be cut u by the bullets, and fed two new ones into the chambers again. He looked down at Zell, still unconscious. "Hey, man." He yelled over the gunfire. "I wish I could say that I'm sorry for what I did…but it kinda wasn't my fault, y'know? I wonder if Selphie will be waiting for me when we get out of this…if we get out of this…"

He didn't even pop up – he simply craned his arm over the cabinet, blasting off both barrels with one hand. Cries of agony were quickly drowned out by gunfire, and Irvine cracked the gun open for the seventh time, allowing the spent shells to fly out and feeding new ones in. 

"Although I suppose she ought to…we've been getting along more and more, ever since the thing with you last year…you know, I even thought she once had a thing for you? Isn't that weird? But you had Angel…and you always have your training…she probably just gave up after a while…staying friends with you was most probably the best thing anyways…you guys would have just got on one-another's nerves, I reckon…hang on, I'll be back." He suddenly jumped up and onto the cabinet.

"Yipee kai yae, motherfuckers!!" He screamed, the battle cry in Old World Language, letting off both barrels at the pack of soldiers, the bullets flying around him, before flipping off the cabinet and into the fray.

His shotgun dropped behind him, he flicked his wrists out, the Vincent Valentines falling into his palms and flaring almost as quickly. In less then three seconds twenty four men had fallen, and Irvine popped the clips for the guns, training the handles down to his sleeves where the quick-loaders sat. The IR ports met each other and the new clips sprang into the loading area, Irvine allowing the slides to click into place.

Twirling like a tornado, he flicked his foot out, taking two guys down with a round-house kick, blasting seven others as he span. Jumping away from where he stood, the area where he had been suddenly becoming dense with bullets, he landed back on top of the cabinet, flicking the guns at the remaining soldiers as if the extra push would give the bullets more speed, duel clicks of the slides locking back signifying that they were empty.

Finally letting the guns slide back into his sleeves, he scooped up his shotgun and jumped back down behind the cabinet, where Zell slept peacefully. Irvine placed the shotgun over his legs and allowed the Vincent's to slide back into his palms, casually reloading them, looking down at Zell and talking as he moved. "You know, I'm doing all the work here. When are you gonna wake your lazy ass up and help me, huh? I could really use a Haste round-about now." There was a ricochet off the cabinet, and Irvine ducked as it buried itself into the wall next to where he sat. "Yeah, yeah, you've been beaten up and stuff, but I suppose now that you're out of that room, you should have your magic back up and working, right?"

He slid the handguns back up his sleeves and picked up the shotgun, snapping it open and feeding new rounds into it. "Huh?" He asked, flicking the big gun shut. "How bout it, big guy?" Lifting up over the cabinet once more, he fire off both rounds, taking out another four guys. He also counted sixty men before ducking down again. _Wasn't that more then last time? Damn…_

*          *            *

_"We've got a reading!"_ Selphie cried over the intercom. _"It's weak, but it's close by."_

"Where, Selphie?" Squall asked the intercom box in the kitchen.

"It's in Esthar…just within the Sollet Mountains."

"That's not right…" Laguna muttered, standing next to Squall with his arms crossed. "That would mean that they had ready access to Esthar the entire time. Could I have defectors within the Estharian Army too?"

_I'd say so…the warm welcome we got to Esthar when Zell was sick would be a good sign…_ Squall thought to himself. "How long till we're there?" He asked Selphie.

"With the boosters on, give me fifteen minutes!!" 

"Do it." Squall let go of the intercom and turned to the small group standing behind him. "Ok. Get geared up and ready to rock. Expect resistance when we get there."

Angel nodded. Laguna smiled evilly, working the catch on his Desperado. Rinoa simply crossed her arms and closed her eyes, her wings slashing out from her back and hr eyes blazing when she opened them.

_I'm going out there to scout._ She pulsed. _It's my fault that I didn't check on Irvine. And besides – if Selphie gets there first, she'll most probably destroy the place with the Raganrok's weapons._

"Fine. Do it. Just be careful." Squall said.

Rinoa blew him a kiss and floated/ran for the nearest hatch.

*          *            *

Whehey! Finale coming up very shortly!! Get prepared for one **hell** of a battle.

_A concern – after Ch 25, I seemed to get a lot of reviews that signified people thought that I had finished off the story!! For those of you who haven't figured it out yet, I'll say it from the cheap seats:_

**_ZELL ISN'T DEAD, YOU NUTS!!_**

_He's still got some fight left in him, people! And he's going to need it in the next few chapters!! _


	28. Save Our Souls

28 – Save Our Souls

Rinoa's wings beat forcefully through the air, allowing her the power of flight with the grace of an elegant dove.

She usually loved going out for a fly – it was the most exhilarating experience she had ever encountered in her life, plus it made it very easy to get from one place to the other. Not only that, because of her Sorceress powers, she could choose how fast she was going, the strength of her wings depending on the wattage of energy she produced.

Right now she didn't dawdle, pulling out all the stops to get to the Sollet Mountains. She stole a quick glance at the mobile tracking unit that she borrowed off Selphie for a second, before dipping her wings, allowing her to hurtle to the ground at immense speeds.

Reaching a decent altitude, she began to pick her way through the mountains, flitting from one canyon to the other, trying to find an opening, some form of human life, _anything_.

Checking the unit once more, she looked down at the red rocks under her feet. She was almost right on top of him – or at least where he had put his gun.

She had hoped to find the front door, and work her way in from there – but it looked like she was going to have to get dirty.

Tossing the unit to the side, she flew up higher, giving herself a little distance – before holding an elegant finger to her forehead. She only needed to draw a little power. Cutting through sheer rock didn't need all that much power.

Finished with the draw, she pointed at the ground. There was a flash, before carnage ensued.

*          *            *

Selphie jumped in her seat, making the Ragnarok rock a little as she regained the controls. "Hyne!" She squeaked as a little mushroom cloud rose over the horizon. "What the hell was that?!"

*          *            *

Irvine looked up as the room they battled within trembled, dust falling from the ceiling as the light flickered. "What the hell was that?!"

The gunfire started up again, and Irvine returned fire as best he could, using the Vincent's now, having expended the shotgun ammo five minutes ago. He had even resorted to using some special ammo, whimpering as he slammed the clips into the Vincent's and chambering the rounds. These bullets were _expensive_.

Two men fell, their chests bursting into flame as the Fire Ammo blew them off their feet and into other soldiers. One man stood, casting Fira, the great gout of flame blowing over the cabinet, Irvine having to wrap his fireproof coat over both Zell and himself to save from getting cooked. When the attacker was finished, Irvine popped back up and blew him away, as well as several of his comrades.

Irvine was now bleeding from several shots to the shoulders, one more on his hip when he accidentally dropped the shotgun over the edge of the cabinet. His fedora was also full of holes, his head only barely missed by the bullets as they created more ventilation holes within the leather. He doffed the hat and looked at it sadly, before throwing it up into the air. When it came down it was no more then a shredded piece of leather.

"Well Zell…" Irvine muttered, popping the clips for his Vincent's and allowing them to fall amongst all the others around him, the empty metal clips clattering into the scattered brass shells. "…Last clips. Let's make em count, huh? Although I think it won't make much different…I've blasted hundreds of rounds at these pricks…and they just keep coming…" He shrugged. "Fuck it."

Flicking back up, the twenty-four bullets that his guns spewed cut down twenty-four men. He ducked back down, only pausing to watch as twenty-four men came out of two separate doorways to reinforce the group of soldiers.

"Shit! They must have a couple of medics sitting in the wings, just waiting to be passed another dead guy!!" Irvine grunted to the unconscious Zell. He sat on his ass behind the very battered cabinet, resting his back on it and feeling the vibrations as more bullets smacked into it. "Well, old friend, it's been nice knowing you." He said, giving the cabinet a soft pat. "You served me well…too friggin well."

The gunfire finally slowed, Irvine hearing several men move forward. Without his guns, Irvine knew he might be able to take down at least four or five before being cut to ribbons…but at least he would go down fighting.

He grasped Zell's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Seeya round, man. Hopefully you'll visit my grave, or some soppy crap like that. Tell Selphie I love her…"

He slowly stood then, his back to the soldiers, the empty guns in his hands. "Alright boys. Who wants some?" He asked, turning slowly…

…Before the roof simply _blew_.

*          *            *

Irvine managed to pick himself up off the floor to see something with wings come down from the big hole in the roof, framed by the light, as if it was some kind of heavenly body.

The room seemed to stop. The Defecting Soldiers all stood like statues, watching as the heavenly figure flew down form the sky, the sunlight bouncing off it's long black hair, the wings beating way too slowly to have any real effect for flight. "Hyne…it's an angel…" One soldier said wistfully, the man walking forward and looking up at the beautiful girl as she raised her hands, her eyes opening to blaze a white light.

The words that entered their minds chilled them to the bone. _The Angel of Death._

The word she screamed destroyed them. Her hands raised, Rinoa opened her mouth, the word whispered by her, but screamed to everybody else. _"THUNDER!!"_

Irvine immediately took cover, throwing himself on top of Zell and covering him with his coat as Rinoa's hands suddenly spluttered into life, blue electricity lacing out and frying anything that it came into contact with. The soldiers, carrying big metal guns, had no hope, and the lightening traced throughout the room, blasting chunks out of the walls, literally _blasting men apart_, and generally wiping out the soldiers in one cast.

When the dust and mists of blood settled, Irvine poked his head up from his cover. "Like to make an entrance, don't you Rin?"

_Irvine!! You're yourself again!!_ Rinoa pulsed happily, her wings flapping as she flew over to the cabinet, the Sorceress crouching down on top of it, the Angel Of Death disappearing to be replaced with the bubbly personality of Rinoa. She looked down at him with her white smoking eyes. _You're hurt…_

"Hey, I'll be fine. Just a few flesh wounds. How about helping the hero here? He's taken a lot of pain, ya know?"

Rinoa stepped lightly off the cabinet, landing just beside Zell. She winced as Irvine drew his coat off Zell's body. The bullet wound, the beatings, and the electrocution…it made his whole body seem like one big bruise. His heads lay in a puddle of his own blood, and his bullet wound bled freely.

_Poor thing…_ Rinoa pulsed sadly, placing a hand on his sweat covered face and brushing some of the blood off his tattoo. _You've suffered too much…_

It was over in an instant, Zell's body seeming to change from a purple colour to his normal tan. The bleeding from his nose and mouth stopped, and the bullet wound closed in on itself, the only thing remaining a round scar.

Zell opened his eyes, blinked once, and sat up. "Hyne…what the hell happened?" He saw Rinoa in her Sorceress form and raised his eyebrows. "Oh…"

"You're alive, man!!" Irvine said, slapping him on the shoulder. "I thought you were dead!!"

_He was. I had to use a Full Life to revive him._ Rinoa pulsed. _You've been dead for almost half an hour, Zell. You're aura is incredible._

"Thanks Rin…but right now we have business to take care of." Zell muttered, standing. "Deling and Sam have gone to kill off Laguna! We need to make sure that that doesn't happen. If Laguna and Justice are both dead…"

_Justice isn't dead._ Rinoa pulsed happily, smiling. _He survived because of Ma. She managed to cast a Life on him before paramedics arrived._ There was a giggling sound within Zell and Irvine's minds, before Rinoa pointed at Zell.

Zell looked down, suddenly realising that his pants were still undone. He quickly zipped his fly and buckled his belt as he shook his head. "Ma…But they're still going after Laguna!!"

_Laguna's on board the Ragnarok. He's with Squall and Selphie. He's safe with them._

Zell rolled his eyes. "Hyne, is everybody one step ahead of me these days?!"

_Kind of. Now, lets get going. Selphie will be here soon._ Rinoa pulsed, standing and placing a hand on Irvine's head, his wounds fully healed. Her bright, smoking eyes blinked suddenly, and she took a wavering step back as her hand left Irvine's head.

The two SeeDs watched, confused and shocked, as Rinoa's wings began to retract, the feathers moulting at a ridiculous rate, until they finally disappeared into her back, the only remnants the tonne of feathers around them and two large holes torn in the back of her blue cardigan, where the white wings were supposed to be sewn in.

She looked up, her blazing white eyes now replaced with her usual green ones. "Dammit!" She muttered, slamming her tiny fist into the ground. "I must've expended too much energy getting here."

Zell smiled, tucking his bloody shirt into his pants. "Don't worry, Rin. We'll just have to do it the old-fashioned way." He made sure that the Ehrgiez Gloves were tight on his fists, before turning to Irvine. "You ready to rock?"

"Lemme grab some stuff first…" Irvine said, picking up his shotgun. "Guard this with your life, Rin." He muttered, handing it over to her before walking over to the closest solider and beginning to rifle through his pockets.

"'Gee…thanks for saving my life, Rinoa! Oh, it was no problem, guys, you would have done the same…'" Rinoa muttered to herself sarcastically, following the SeeDs as they began to make their through the complex.

*          *            *

Squall looked down at the tracking unit. "They're supposed to be down there." He said, pointing down at the gaping hole in the ground. "Rinoa must've blasted a hole in the ground to get to them. Probably couldn't be bothered finding the front door." 

"So…what? Do we follow her lead?" Selphie asked. "I don't think I'll be able to get the Ragnarok down there…but I'll try if you want me to!!"

"No! No, don't try! Please don't try!!" Laguna cried, running forward and patting Selphie on the shoulder. "I think we'd better find the front door, what do you think?"

"I'd rather go down the hole…but if that's what you want, Sir Laguna!!"

"Where would it be, thought…" Squall muttered to himself, scanning the area. _There doesn't seem to be any tire or takeoff tracks on the ground…maybe the entrance is somewhere further in the mountains?_

"This might be completely irrelevant, guys, but what's that?" Angel asked suddenly, pointing at a speck in the distance, her finger resting on the window.

Laguna waked over and pressed a button on the rim of the window, the window suddenly zooming in like a camera to focus on the fingerprint on the window. "That, my dear, is a cave…" He paused. "A cave with several armed guards." He paused again. "A cave with several armed _Estharian _guards!!"

"Is that our destination, Laguna?" Squall asked.

"I haven't authorised any patrols out this far, so I'd say so!" The older man balled his fists, the Desperado slung over his shoulder just inches from his hands. "Traitors in my own army…damn them! I'll show them discipline!!"

Squall placed a hand on Selphie's shoulder. "Go there." He said, pointing at the cave.

*          *            *

A thunderous kick smashed opened another metal door, and Zell poked his head around the corner.

Nothing but corridor.

He retrieved his head and turned back to the others, Rinoa waiting patiently, Irvine scavenging more ammo off the dead guards they just wiped out. "Dammit! You could have thought they might have left something useful out, like a map or something." Zell spat, disgusted.

Rinoa ran her fingers through her long black hair. "Tell me about it. We've been walking around here for about ten minutes, and I'm already fed up with the place. What's with the colour of the walls? How boring!"

Irvine smirked, standing up and reloading the uzi he had grabbed off one of he dead guards. "It's to keep the soldiers in a foul mood. Little thing, really, but the little things count." He pulled the lever back on the top of the small sub-machine gun. "Being the daughter of a Galbadian general, you ought to know."

Rinoa would have crossed her arms, but she continued to carry the heavy shotgun. "I went to live in Timber as soon as I could to get away from _that man._ And how can you carry this thing around all the time! It weighs a tonne!!"

Zell chuckled – before turning suddenly, sensing the guards before they turned the corner. A sharp cry of "There they are!" was cut off by the blurt of a sub-machine gun and a Fire blast.

Zell turned to the others. "There must be enough guys in here to make an army! So here's what we're going to do – find some dude, and beat the directions out of him."

Rinoa smiled evilly. "Sounds good to me."

Irvine shrugged, his tone one of boredom. "As long as I get to see sunlight again, I'm cool with that."

*          *            *

Ten soldiers guarded the entrance of the base. Having just gotten a report that the prisoner had escaped, they faced inwards, their orders to shoot anybody who came running up.

So far they had shot five of their own. Cowardice wasn't an option.

So intent were they at guarding the entrance that they didn't see the large red dragon fly in from the evening sky, the sound of the turbines the only warning they got before the Ragnarok flew _into the cave_, startling the daylights out of them.

Within the cockpit, Laguna gripped the edge of his seat, just imagining the price of repairs as Selphie accidentally scraped into the rocky ceiling – again – and flipped on the mega speaker. "Hiya!! Throw down your guns, or I'm going to have to shoot you!!" She said, her cute voice echoing around the cave.

As if to punctuate the point, two miniguns unfolded from the belly of the beast, the long barrels each the size of a man. "Please?" Selphie asked sweetly.

The men reluctantly threw down their weapons and raised their hands, utterly defeated.

"Good work, Selphie." Squall said, patting the slight girl on the shoulder. "You stay here with Angel. Laguna and me are going to go down to find the others."

Angel stood angrily. "Hey! Why do I have to stay here?!" she asked furiously.

"Because I need someone with experience." Squall said. He wasn't being harsh, he was only telling the truth. "And besides, I think Laguna will be of more use with me then with Selphie. He'd probably have an aneurism if she told him all the things she does to the Ragnarok."

"What?!" Laguna said with a start, jumping to his feet and following Squall over to the lift. "What did you say? What does she do? Squall, tell me…"

And then they were gone.

Angel threw herself into the co-pilot chair, crossing her arms and pouting. Selphie stole a glance at her from her vigilant guarding of the soldiers. "Believe me, honey, I'd rather be going down there to find my sweetie too. But Squall is just looking out for us. That's all."

"I just don't get it. He's going down to find Rinoa, not Zell or Irvine."

Selphie smiled. "You haven't been around him long enough. Squall thinks about _everyone_. It's one of his _worst_ attributes. He's always worrying about everybody else. Believe me, it's better for him to be concentrating on find Rinoa and guarding Laguna then having to guard two panicky girlfriends too."

Angel wrapped her arms around herself, drawing her knees upon her chest. "How can you be so calm at a time like this?" She whispered, before looking over at Selphie.

Her small hands were trembling slightly on the controls of the Ragnarok, a small bead of sweat cutting a trail down her passive face. "I'm calm?" Selphie whispered back, almost to herself. "I don't know about that…"

Angel sighed. _This is what Zell has to go through. This is the trouble he puts himself into all the time. That's why he's always so protective whenever we go out places, why he always fusses over the time we spend together. Because the next time he goes out on a mission, he might not come back…no matter how good he is. Zell…come back to me._

*          *            *

Back inside the base, Zell smashed another fist into another soldier's facemask, causing him to go flying into and through a wall. He looked down at his fist in surprise, before shrugging. "Don't know my own strength…" He muttered, twisting around and flicking his boot into another man's chest, annihilating the sternum and making his ribs cave in, killing the man instantly.

Irvine let off a slavo of bullets at a bunch of soldiers running up the corridor, and turned his head to Zell slightly. "Why do these guys all look the same? You think they'd have different ranks or something like that."

Rinoa jumped with surprise as a soldier suddenly burst from a ventilation duct, and swung the heavy shotgun at him, smashing his faceplate and his skull, killing him instantly. "What I'd like to know is why their armour sucks. What are they in, paper-mache?"

Zell shrugged, slapping aside the barrel of a gun and stabbing out with a hand, his fingers going for the throat, cutting the windpipe without breaking the skin. "Just your bog-standard grunts, I suppose." He said, lifting the body up off the ground and using it to block some incoming fire, before tossing the bullet riddled corpse at the attackers, bowling them over. "Don't even deserve proper armour. It's probably there for peace of mind."

Walking over to the pile of men that he had just knocked over, he kicked the head of one in, then ripped the gun off another and smashed the butt into his head, making the weapon jut out of his skull as the body fell backwards. The third soldier simply lay there, quivering in his BDUs as Zell turned to him with a grin. "Now then, buddy. You're going to tell us where we need to go to get out of here, or I'll send you to Hyne like the rest of these idiots."

The man nodded violently.

*          *            *

Squall and Laguna stepped off the Ragnarok, walking off the main ramp to run into the ten guards huddling in front of the main guns for the giant airship.

Four gulped as Laguna walked up to them. "P-President Laguna! Wha-what are you doing here?!" One stuttered as Laguna walked up to him, Desperado in hand, jaw set.

"Remove your helmet, soldier!"

The man did as he was ordered, and Laguna stepped right up to him, studying his face…before head butting him, knocking him out cold. Laguna stepped back, training the Desperado at the rest of the guards. "Now! Tell us where to go down and we'll let you live!"

One guard, obviously Galbadian, stepped forward. "You wont get anything from us, old man…" Was all he got out before a shimmering blue blade sang out, decapitating the man in an instant.

Squall flicked the blade left and right, loosening his wrist. "Anybody else want to be a hero?" He asked.

One man stepped forward, before being cut down by Laguna's machinegun. 

"Anybody else?"

The guards collectively shook their heads.

"Then tell us what we need to know."

*          *            *

"No, he said this way!"

"Zell, I think I know where I'm going!!"

"But Rinoa, that path is leading back down! He said we have to keep taking the paths that go up!"

"How do you know? That arm lock you had him in would have had him saying he was Hyne if you told him to!!"

"Dammit, it's called the Negotiator for a reason!!"

Irvine looked between his two bickering friends and sighed, with a smile, shaking his head. "Guys, guys, the more we argue, the more Deling and Sam get away. Let's just choose and go, alright?"

Zell blew his breath out irritatingly. "Fine. Paper-scissors-rock." He said, lifting his fist.

Rinoa lifted her fist. The shook them three times, before suddenly showing what they had.

"Ha! I win!!" Rinoa said with glee, lifting her 'scissors' in a peace sign, waggling it in Zell's face.

"That's not fair! You can read minds!!" Zell whined, but Rinoa was already leading the way.

Irvine shook his head sadly. "Hyne, help me…"

*          *            *

Laguna looked inside the room, before ducking back out. "Three soldiers, all waiting in front of a door. I think they're going to jump it."

Squall nodded. "Ok, here's what I want you to do…" He said at thin air as Laguna suddenly rolled into the room, the sound of his Desperado rattling off .45 calibre bullets punctuated by three thumps on the floor.

"Ha! I still got it!!" Laguna cried.

Squall simply face-palmed and walked into the room.

*          *            *

Zell kicked down another door and looked at the carnage within the hallway. "Ha! See! We're back to where we caught that guy! I'd remember that gun sticking out of that dudes head anywhere!"

Rinoa rolled her eyes. "Fine. We'll backtrack."

Irvine, walking faster to catch up with them, turned quickly and began to walk back the way they came as both Rinoa and Zell began to come back up the hallway, Zell with a happy look on his face, Rinoa with a scowl.

*          *            *

"Wait, Laguna!!" Squall said suddenly, causing the sneaking Laguna to stop in his tracks.

The two men paused, listening.

"What do you mean, you're always right!!"

"I guessed the way right, and I also guessed most of Deling's plan, whilst under torture I might add! I'm just saying I'm smarter then you think I am!"

"…You're stupider then I think you are…"

"Hey! Deling said I was a lot smarter then I get credit for! He ought to know! He's an evil genius!"

"Deling wouldn't know a smart person if you picked one up and stuffed it up his ass!!"

"Rinoa! How un-lady like!!"

"You want to see how un-lady like I can get, Irvine?!"

Squall opened the door then, smashing it into Zell and causing him to fall over unceremoniously. He looked out around the doorway and saw a very annoyed Zell rubbing his nose on the floor, a angry-turning-elated Rinoa holding Irvine's shotgun, and a very shocked and confused Irvine training duel Uzi's at his friend and Commander.

Rinoa dropped the shotgun on Zell and ran to Squall, crash-tackling him to the ground in happiness. "Squall!!" She squealed as he skidded along the ground.

Irvine lowered his guns, muttering to himself. "Oh thank the gods. If I had to listen to their bickering for much longer…"

Zell stood, rubbing his belly from where Rinoa dropped the heavy shotgun, and rubbing his face from where Squall smashed him with the door. "Don't start with me, Irvine."

Laguna poked his head around the door. "Hey guys. Time to go, I think."

*          *            *

_A light chapter before the action begins, I think._

_Wow! Am I on a roll, or what? Two chapters in one day!! Excellent!!_


	29. My Final Finale

_**WARNING**          **WARNING**_

_I need to warn you – this chapter is FRIGGIN HUGE (about 30 or so A4 pages), so be prepared for not only TWO GF DRAWINGS, but also the BIGGEST FIGHT YET. Plus, the Commander is finally revealed!! One big ass chapter for the price of two! I couldn't be bothered chopping it up!!_

_**WARNING**          **WARNING**_

Ch 29 – My Final Finale

The fight up to the top was a one-way battle all the way – the Defected Soldiers were no match for the SeeDs. With Squall hacking and slashing a blood trail, Zell picking off the ones that Squall missed, Irvine and Laguna covering their rear, with Rinoa in the middle healing when appropriate, they fought their way to the top without any real trouble.

It was when they burst out into the Estharian night, however, that they knew something was wrong.

The entire area looked like someone had blasted it into tiny dust particles with the Ragnarok's miniguns – the walls full of holes, the shredded bodies of the captured guards lying in puddles of their own blood.

What was worse, the giant red dragon had seemed to have vanished.

Zell looked around, scratching the back of his head. "Hyne…what happened here?"

Squall stepped forward, his face serious. "Something's wrong. Stay sharp."

Irvine, Zell and Squall formed a protective barrier in front of Laguna and Rinoa, the three SeeDs moving forward slowly with Rinoa hiding behind them whilst Laguna took up the rear, covering their behind with the powerful Desperado.

It was only when they had finally gotten out to the open, the cave's opening just behind them, when one of them spoke. Laguna looked up at the sky, the usually clear night now covered in cloud. "Dammit. That rain should've been coming in tomorrow night." He muttered, deadly serious.

Irvine looked around. "Well? Maybe Selphie got spooked and flew away. She'll probably come back in a few minutes."

Squall shook his head. "No. If she had gotten into trouble she would have dealt with it and come back by now. Something's very wrong."

"Very right, Squall Leonheart."

The entire party froze, and Zell turned, with infinite slowness, to see Sam standing atop the cave's entrance…

…with Angel in his grasp.

*          *          *

Zell balled his fists, his rage unsurmountable as he looked up at Sam, the traitor gripping an limp Angel by her chocolate brown ponytail, lifting her up for all of them to see. Every tiny fibre within him told him to do something – _anything_ – but he held back, knowing that Sam held all the cards.

Sam was dressed in his White SeeD uniform, the white splendid against the cloudy night sky. Lightening laced out of the sky, the crack of heaven's whip seeming to be his cue. "She is very beautiful. I congratulate you on acquiring her."

"She isn't just a thing…" Zell said through gritted teeth, taking a step forward…to be stopped by the shimmering blade of Squall's LionHeart. He glanced at Squall, his rage obvious, but Squall shook his head slowly, his cold grey eyes locked on Zell's.

"And you're gauntlets are masterpieces." Sam continued, holding up his free hand, clad in the shining Adamantine. "Your girlfriend could wield them splendidly…but I managed to disarm her with little effort. You taught her well. Am I to guess that's not all you…taught her?"

Zell's fists began to quiver as he took another step forward, to once again be stopped by Squall. "No, Zell! It's what he wants." Squall said quietly, making sure the blue energy blade was across Zell's heaving chest.

"Listen to the commander, Zell!" Sam cried. "Even with your skills, I doubt you'd be able to get up here by the time it takes to rip her head off!!"

"What do you want, dammit?!" Laguna cried.

"I want what anybody else wants, old man." Sam said. "Power."

Irvine rolled his eyes. "A bit cliché, don't you think?"

Sam chuckled. "Maybe…but after seeing some of the thing's I've seen…" He looked behind him to watch as Deling walked up to the edge of the cave lip, a beaten Selphie staggering before him, falling to her knees at the edge of the cliff.

Irvine took a step forward. "Selphie!!" He cried, his voice full of concern.

She said nothing, simply slumping forward onto the ground in silence. Deling patted his hands and grimaced down at the group. "It's not often that I have to get my own hands dirty, gentlemen…but I was a solider before I was President. And I will do anything to get my dream realised."

Laguna stepped forward. "What are you hoping, Deling? Even with the might of the Estharian _and_ Galbadian army, you won't be a match to the combined might of the Gardens. The Trabia and Centra nations would rather use them then deal with the likes of you."

"That is true…" Deling said with a smile. "The Gardens have the GFs, and the skill to defeat me…but I'm pretty sure we'll be able to do something about it."

Zell shook his head to clear the thoughts fogging his mind, but he simply couldn't. "What now, huh? What do you want now?"

Sam smiled, letting Angel drop to the cave floor. Bashing both fists together, he flipped up and off the cave, landing just before the group. He landed on his hands and feet, looking up at them with a smile. "Throughout the Tournament I have seen you fight, as well as many other great fighters. It was only in your last battle that you truly revealed what you're potential is. Deling's goal is world domination. My goal is to finally fight you."

Zell shook his head in distaste. "You told me. You wanna experience My Final Heaven." He spat on the floor, the sky thundering, as if agreeing with his distaste. "You make me sick."

Sam smiled. "That's the idea."

Deling stepped forward. "Sam! Kill Laguna!! My agents are on their way to Justice's hopstial right now! Kill Laguna, then we can continue with the plan."

Sam, his back turned to Deling, stood slowly, his smile growing wickedly. "Not right now, old man."

"What?!"

"I finish my business with the Hunter first. Then we take the world together, as we planned."

"No! I'm ordering you to kill Laguna!!"

"And how are you going to make me?"

There was silence from Deling as he took an uncertain step back. Zell nodded in acknowledgement. Deling might have become as immortal as a god – but that didn't mean he had the power of one. Sam could overpower the old man in an instant if he wished, ripping him limb from limp if he so desired…by making a pact with this man, Deling had unwittingly become his slave…just like with Edea.

"Just stay there and guard the women, old man. Even you could do that."

At least Sam had chose to keep him alive, unlike Edea.

Zell stepped forward, Squall moving to block his way with the gun blade once more – but Zell slapped the blade aside, pushing Squall to the ground and making him skid away. Zell pointed a rigid finger at his commander and best friend. "Keep out of it, Squall. Figure out a way to rescue the girls. I'm in control here. Just keep out of it."

Squall picked himself up, his own rage building…but he swallowed his pride and nodded, gesturing for the others to join him.

Laguna and Irvine made their way to Squall, but as Rinoa passed Zell he grabbed her arm. Watching Sam as he began to stretch, Zell pulled Rinoa close so he could whisper in her ear. "How are you doing?"

"…What do you mean?" she whispered back.

"How long until you can use your Sorceress power again?"

"We've been running around for almost an hour…but I ought to be good in a little while."

"When you're at full power I want you to unleash a Full Life at Deling. It needs to be whilst you're in Angel form – understand?"

Rinoa looked at Zell, confused and alarmed at such a random request. "Why, Zell?"

Zell looked at her, his anger evident. "Just do it, dammit!!" He yelled, pushing her roughly away from him in disgust.

Rinoa nodded fearfully and stumbled over into Squall's arms, bewildered at the sudden mood-change in Zell.

Zell looked at Sam with murder in his eyes, the White SeeD mocking him with his casual attitude. "You've destroyed my home…you've threatened my family…you've hurt the one I love. You will not walk away from this."

Sam smiled sarcastically. "Now who's being cliché?"

Zell looked up at the sky, feeling the stiff breeze come up into the canyon that they stood within with all his soul. The canyon had a small cliff to one side, mountains lifting off the ground all around. A kilometre behind them was a large hole in the ground – possibly from when Rinoa saved them. He could smell the rain before it began to come down, slowly at first, then belting down, as if to try and wash away the evil burrowed into the Estharian dirt.

He shook his head and snorted his breath out of his nostrils, pulling his torn shirt and coat off with a swift tear, tossing them to the side, forgotten in an instant. He looked down at his hands, covered in the Ehrgiez Gloves, and tightened them sharply.

This is it. This is what I've been waiting for. Revenge… 

He looked up at Sam, his adversary smiled at him in the rain, and lifted his fists, taking his stance. "Any rules?"

"No healing."

Zell grinned. "Want to rough it, huh? Ok then."

*          *          *

Sam moved first, coming out of his casual stand with flying speed, killing the distance between Zell and himself in an instant, his fist cutting through the rain without any resistance.

Zell threw his head to the left, the fist sailing past his face awkwardly. He pulled his own fist into Sam's stomach – who skidded to the right, the fist sailing past Sam's torso. Both off balance, the two fighters fell to their opposite's side, balancing on one hand to kick out with a leg, the simultaneous attack hitting each other with resounded booms, the warriors flying apart as if an explosion had erupted between them.

Sam skidded to the side, flying out into the open area and skidding along the already muddy ground. He rolled with the skid, coming up onto his feet, one knee on the ground as he continued to slide along, the muddy ground allowing for no resistance.

Zell went sailing into the darkness of the cave, tumbling into the rockiness to be swallowed by the black…before blasting out at astounding speed, his feet cutting into the muddy ground as he beat a path towards where Sam was.

Sam was ready for anything, up on his feet in second, his arms out, the Uber Ehrgiez wet with the rain, legs spread – but Zell seemed to use the mud to his advantage, falling to his belly and sliding through Sam's spread legs to come up behind his adversary. Rolling over and pointing his arms at Sam in one motion, his hands burst into electricity as the Thunder laced through the rain-filled atmosphere and gave Sam the shock of a lifetime.

Covered in rain, the metal Ehrgiez Gauntlets also a conductor, Sam jolted and jiggled as the lightening course through his body, smoke emitting from his skin as he finally fell to the ground.

Zell finally flipped up onto his feet, his smirk evident even through the rainy air. "How do _you_ like it, bitch?" he spat.

Sam amazingly managed to rise to his feet, shaking his head from the full-frontal burst of electricity. He looked up at Zell and growled, his white clothes now a dirty red from all the mud around them.

Zell waved at him to come forward, mocking him. "Come on, you chicken shit! You have what it takes to take on the Hunter?!"

Sam spat on the ground and blasted from his position with astounding speed, the muddy ground beneath him exploding out as his fist seemed to pull him forward, heading straight for Zell's chest – to be arrested with a metallic clang by Zell's hands!!

Sam's shocked expression amused Zell immensely. "Meteor Barrett?" He said with a snort. "It only works so many times."

Sam's shocked expression wore off as he suddenly threw his other hand up, slapping Zell across the chops and throwing him back. Zell fell onto his back into the muddy ground, flipping up instantly and smashing his fist into Sam's belly, causing the White SeeD to cough with shock.

"Not used to someone fighting back, huh?" Zell asked with a smile as Sam fell to the ground with a grunt, grasping his stomach as if someone had just smashed it with a baseball bat.

"Not really…" Sam grunted, lifting one hand from the grip on his guts and slamming it into the ground in anger.

"Then you'd better get used to it."

Sam quickly blocked the punt-kick thrown out by Zell, grabbing the SeeD's leg and swinging him down into the mud, Sam crawling on top of Zell in an instant. His intention was to batter Zell whilst his arms were blocked – but Zell had other plans.

As Sam threw his first fist down, Zell blocked the attack and grabbed the fist, pulling Sam's face down into a vicious head butt before kicking the traitor flying into the mud. Zell flipped up onto his feet and shook his head, walking forward and talking with disdain. "Is that all you got?" He muttered, watching as Sam got up, stumbling a bit, before righting himself. "To tell the truth, I'm surprised. You talked big – but you're not really anything."

He skidded forward suddenly, an elbow aimed for the sternum – caught with a metallic clang by Sam's quick block!! Zell looked up in surprise to see Sam's bleeding face grinning manically. "Surprised?" He asked.

"Kinda." Zell retorted, pulling his elbow from the block and quickly flipping around, his leg sailing through the air – to miss completely, Sam's body seeming to bend over like a limbo dancer to dodge the impressive roundhouse kick. Sam's torso flicked back up – to dodge a left jab and right hook, his head seeming to take a life of it's own as it move this way and that, Zell's punches seeming to miss by the slimmest of slim margins.

Zell ducked down, slamming a palm at Sam's stomach – which missed as Sam simply seemed to take a step backwards – and followed through with another Thunder, the lightening lacing out – to blast water and mud, Sam strafing the magic at the last second.

Zell jumped back, creating some room between them, frowning in confusion. _What the hell is going on? I was all over this guy a few second ago!!_

Sam smiled again. "My turn?" He asked casually. "Good."

His was suddenly in Zell's face, his fist and feet smashing and battering Zell's body with relentless accuracy, Zell barely able to block and dodge as a left jab kicked his head back and a boot smash into his chest, smashing him back, causing him to skid on his feet through the mud. Sam was all over him instantly – his punches flying quickly and deadly, his attacks seeming to have gotten a life of their own as opposed to the nigh-to inexperience fighter that Zell had fought just minutes ago.

A palm thundered into Zell's chest, throwing him back and making him slap into the mud with a resounding splash. His breathing beginning to get laboured, his head still swimming from the last massive barrage of fists and feet that he had been beaten with, he flipped up onto his feet, way from out of the fight.

The two warriors began to circle one another warily, Zell's eyes narrowed as he watched Sam for any sign of offensive movement. _It's amazing…he's complete changed from the person I fought before. It's like he's gained years of experience in less then five minutes…_

"I suppose you're wondering how?" Sam called over the slashing rain as it thundered down, lightening cracking within the clouds as the two SeeDs continued to circle.

Zell smiled with disdain. "The thought had crossed my mind."

Sam lifted his arms out with a shrug. "What can I say but Blue."

Zell narrowed his eyes. "Impossible. Even a Blue can't give you the experience you've just shown."

"Maybe not…but it can draw it out of _you_."

A feeling of dread began to build in the back of Zell's mind as he processed the words that had just come from Sam's smiling mouth. "What are you saying?"

Sam lowered his arms, bringing one up in a fist. "It's called 'Photographic Reflex'. Any move I witness instantly becomes my own."

Zell's eyes widened in shock. "Impossible."

"Not so. It's one of the ultimate Blues – unique only to me. I can use it for physical as well as magical movements – in other words, I can mimic your fighting techniques. I've watched you, Zell. All throughout the Tournament. Your style is impressive to say the least – you technique incredible. But how will you fare against your own fighting style?"

Zell stopped circling the White SeeD, lifting his arms into a stance. "You're just a weak man who's a cheat! There's no way you can defeat the real thing!!"

Sam shook his head suddenly, the rain whipping from his hair as he took the _exact same stance_ as Zell. "Let's find out!!" He snarled back.

*          *          *

Squall and the others watched in utter amazement as Sam and Zell went at it again, the muddy ground around them erupting with their steps, the power flowing from their fight almost overwhelming.

They had managed to make their way to the cave, out of the rain, taking shelter to watch the fight form a safe vantage point. Squall watched with disbelief as Zell launched another devastating attack as Sam countered it in an equally devastating way. _It's true…they're now equally matched. It's only a matter of time before they begin to really draw on their true potential – and then this place is history._ He turned to Rinoa. "Are you ready yet?"

"Almost…I can feel it…I need to be at full, otherwise it's not as powerful as usual…"

She had told him Zell's plan, sobbing as she recalled the looked in Zell's eyes as he pushed her away, so hard she almost fell to the floor. "He really scared me, Squall…I've never seen him like this…"

"Don't worry about it, Rinoa. Just concentrate on the plan."

*          *          *

Above the cave, Deling watched the battle rage on, Zell the one now blocking as Sam attacked with devastating accuracy.

_You're help was undeniable, Sam…_ Deling thought to himself as he pulled a handgun from his pocket, pulling the slide back. _But it's too close to tell wether or not you will survive this fight…and besides, there's still the matter of Laguna to deal with. _

"You're on your own, SeeD…" He muttered, grabbing Selphie and pulling her to the path down, Angel forgotten.

*          *          *

Zell didn't have time to be amazed at the skill that Sam was displaying – _Zell's own skill_. He barely had time to think, working purely on instinct as the battle wore on, his hands, feet and body moving as one.

There was almost no magic use – Sam and Zell were fighting a true battle, where the only weapons were your body and your brain – nothing else.

Zell's fist was slapped aside easily by Sam, who countered with his own fist sailing out, smashing straight into Zell's face. The metal gauntlet seemed to push Zell's head back as the attack connected – before Zell's hand slashed up through the rain, grabbing Sam's wrist.

Quickly turning his back to Sam, Zell pulled the White SeeD over his shoulder and threw him down into the ground, keeping hold of his hand as his other one proceeded to smash into Sam's face, Sam's arm twisted in the throw.

Sam retaliated instantly, throwing his foot up and kicking Zell in the face, causing him to stagger back, his feet splashing in the wet mud. He awkwardly fell backward, falling onto his back as Sam's flying kick sailed overhead, and he rolled to the left as Sam's flying kick suddenly ended with a knee aimed at Zell's stomach.

Zell was on his feet in seconds, the attacking Sam throwing a fist at Zell's head – which Zell managed to slap aside and counter, stepping in close to _smash_ his fist into Sam's stomach, causing the martial on his shirt to tear open as Zell pulled his fist back and uppercut the White SeeD viciously.

Sam fell back, landing on his back with a splash, then rolled backwards, Zell's stomp missing Sam's head by less then a millimetre. Sam swept his leg through the muddy ground, a large splash arising as he caught Zell's leg and tripping the Hunter, both of the SeeDs now on the ground and within the mud.

They scuffled on the ground for an instant, neither fighter letting the other escape as the small jabs and vicious kicks hit each other with no hindrance of a block or a dodge, each fighter dealing more damage to each other on the ground then they had done whilst on their feet.

Zell suddenly pulled his fist back, and with a yell sucker-punched Sam right in the face, the powerful blow throwing Sam back so far he seemed to make a wave through the muddy ground. Zell flipped onto his feet and ran to catch up to him, but Sam had recuperated already, rolling backwards onto his hands, his body coiled together like a spring, and launched both feet into Zell's face, smashing the Hunter back with little resistance.

Zell fell backward, his face feeling like it had been hit by a sledgehammer – before instinct and reflex kicked in, his hands flicking out and propelling his body back, back flipping three times to land back on his feet, his bottom lip split from the attack.

Sam stood where he had landed from the attack, holding his arms out, his teeth bared in an animalistic snarl.

_Oh crap!!_ Zell thought as Sam suddenly let go of a Thundaga, the massive electrical surge moving through the muddy water and through the rain falling all around them at the speed of light, running up Zell's legs and shocking him to within an inch of his life. 

Memories of the torture welled up in his mind, the violent stuffing of the Steel Orb into his mouth, the electric shocks burning the inside of his mouth and making his brain feel like it was an inferno, the defenceless punches and kicks smashed and bashed into his body, unable to fight back…

He suddenly let out a scream that echoed around the canyon, a massive Shell forming around him as he let his magic grow larger, the Thundaga now useless as it spattered harmlessly against the red shield that was formed around Zell, his body seeming to steam as his power began to grow.

Sam watched, amused, as Zell's power suddenly exceeded his own. "A Limit Break so soon, Hunter? I'm surprised!!" Sam raised a hand up into the sky. "Well, I got a surprise for you too!!"

He lifted his hand up into the sky, a number of green balls with fire within them twirling around his body for a second – before he vanished in a puff of logic.

Zell blinked in surprise, his Limit suddenly dropping, as he looked around, confused. _No way…he didn't just…_

*          *          *

"…Draw a GF?!" Squall gasped, watching the White SeeD disappear.

The rain filled sky suddenly opened, a large hole forming within the clouds, revealing the starry Estharian sky. It also revealed the moon, the originator of monsters, which had seemed to grow exponentially, the giant crater from the last Lunar Cry seeming to be like one big eyeball…

Something big exploded from the crater, hammering towards earth with astounding speed, and Zell found the ground beneath him trembling as the big thing suddenly found it's way to the canyon where Zell stood.

The thing's entrance was spectacular. Arriving like a huge fireball, Gaia's atmosphere too much for it, to stopped erratically just a few inches off the muddy ground. The flames licking around it seemed to be sucked into itself, until it formed what looked like an Iron Giant…but it wasn't.

The massive man-shaped creature that fell the last few inches to land on it's feet with a resounding splash had razor sharp blades all around it's armoured body – it's helm had what looked like a curvaceous axe atop of it, it's shoulder-plates depicting a snarling lion on it's right and a bunch of vicious looking spikes on the left. A red cape flowed around its body, the black armour seemingly covered in it. The huge man carried a large, double-edged battle axe in its left hand and a lumpy looking mace in the other.

"My gods…" Irvine gasped, watching as the gigantic man threw his arms up into the air and bellowed loudly, the sound making the mountains tremble. "Olethros…the Destruction Guardian."

*          *          *

Zell looked up at Olethros as he pounded his way forward, his footsteps booming as they forced their way through the mud, and gulped.

The Destruction Guardian…this guy is supposed to be an equal to Bahamut! 

Zell didn't have much time to think, however, as Olethros suddenly attacked, the large bulk of the man not hindering his speed as he hefted the massive battleaxe and hammered it down at Zell, his intention to spilt Zell in two.

Zell quickly strafed to the right, the axe cutting the air and the water in two next to him…before he back flipped away as the massive mace suddenly hammered down into the muddy ground before him.

Zell landed on his feet and assessed the situation quickly._ OK…I'm a lot more quicker then him…so what do I know about him? I know he's the God of Destruction…so any physical attacks shouldn't work on him…so…_

He jumped suddenly as the battle-axe swept under him, the massive blades shearing straight through the water with no hindrance whatsoever. Zell landed on top of the twin blades, grinning up at the god as it's helm swivelled to look down at him, intelligent eyes gleaming through the eye-slits down at Zell…

And blasted the Axe to smithereens, fiery energy beam quickly turning the massive weapon to shattered nothingness.

Olethros then looked around, dropping the haft of the now-useless weapon, forgotten as he began to look for his prey, gripping the mace's haft with both hands.

Unbeknown for him, Zell had been quick with his escape. He now stood astride the massive humanoid, standing with an arm wrapped around the big man helm, his feet firmly planted on it's shoulder where he had flipped up to as soon as he had seen the eyes flash.

Pointing a finger at the metal mass beneath him, Zell blasted off a Blizzard. As he thought, the metal simply repelled the magic. "Interesting…" Zell muttered. _Just as I thought…physical and magic attacks are useless…so what does that leave me?_

Olethros, now aware of Zell on his shoulder, quickly reached up with a free hand and tried to swat him away like an over-grown Bite Bug. Zell ducking and diving the feeble attacks, pitching and swaying with the massive beast as it began to try desperately to get him off its shoulder. As it continued to swat at Zell, Olethros suddenly lost his balance, pitching backwards…to arrest his step, stopping instantly.

Something suddenly clicked in Zell's mind, and he craned his head forward to looked within the helm's eye-slits.

Olethros' eyes were looking back at the ground in fear, darting between Zell's face and the water as he began to desperately try to swat Zell and keep his balance at the same time.

Zell smiled. _Either the big goof is afraid of falling – or he's afraid of the muddy water. Let's find out._

Quickly hopping off his staggering ride, Zell stepped up to one of Olethros' massive legs and pulled his fist back. _Here goes nothing…_

His hand shot forward powerfully, the attack putting a great dent in the god's armour – which immediately straightened – but the point was to bend the god's leg back, making him go off balance. Which Zell achieved.

Olethros fell backwards with something that sounded like a strangled cry, landing in the muddy water with a resounding slap, a shockwave kicking Zell off his feet as a sonic boom was emitted from the mass of metal hammering into Gaia at such gravity.

Zell managed to pick himself up, dazed but all right, to watch as Olethros floundered about, un-able to pick himself up! He tried to lift his legs and his arms, but simply couldn't, only able to feebly lift them slightly, the armour now filled with rain water and mud. _Poor bugger…his armour is too heavy for him._

Olethros turned his helm to looked at Zell, who slowly walked up to the god of Destruction and placed a hand on the massive frame, looking into the intelligent eyes as they begged for help. _You'll get it, buddy._ Zell thought silently, giving the creature a nod of acknowledgment.

Zell took a step back, balling his fist and pulling it back slowly. He tensed all his muscles at once, putting all his energy into the fist, the ball of sinew and bone suddenly beginning to shake, vibrating at tremendous speeds – before Zell released the energy, his fist snaking out and hammering into the GF's head.

The result amazed even Zell. Olethros, too heavy even for himself, was blasted away from Zell's hand, skidding and flipping through the mud to stop shockingly at the cliff edge, a large Olethros-shaped crater appearing as the gigantic GF was embedded in the cliff edge, the creature's eyes wide with shock as it looked at the small human who put it in such an embarrassing position.. Zell blinked, shocked, and looked down at his fist. _Wow…this has more power then I thought…maybe it really is a true Limit Break…_

He had no time to ponder the ramifications, however, as Olethros' body began to shrink, growing smaller and smaller, until all that was left was the shape of a man.

Sam.

Zell gritted his teeth and set his arms out in front of him, palms forward as he drew some power within him. "You upped the stakes, Sam! This is what you get!!"

The Meltdown was built and launched in no time, the non-elemental slashing through the rain to slam into Sam's body…or that's what it looked like to Zell.

Sam actually _caught the Meltdown in his hands_, his muscles bulging as he pushed the magic back, his face sweating, rain water mingling with the salt as he continued to fight against the oppressive force bearing down at him – before he threw his arms up, tossing the Meltdown up into the sky, before launching from his crater towards a ready Zell.

It was an all-out battle after that – fist and magic flying through the air, the wet smack of a drenched fist hitting flesh, the bing of a Gauntlet ricocheting from a block, Fires and Thunders flying and destroying parts of mountains.

Zell threw a punch, the fist just missing Sam's head – before Zell turned the fist into a chop, smashing the knife-like edge into Sam's clavicle, causing him to drop to a knee – which he retaliated with, springing up and hammering the knee into Zell's chin, Zell just able to step back, the attack only being a glancing blow. Sam landed in the muddy ground with a wet splash – to have Zell smash both fists into his chest, the rapid attack hammering and pounding at the chest cavity, barely any defence left for Sam but to slap both palms onto Zell's head, hammering the skull and causing chocobos to dance in front of Zell's eyes.

Sam stepped back and blasted Zell with a Fire, throwing the SeeD back a ways. Then, setting his footing and craning his body forward, he blasted a Flare, the super-heated magic ploughing it's way through the mud with a fiery roar. Zell looked up to see the Flare coming at him with astounding speed, and flared red before being swallowed up by the massive attack.

Sam kept at it, pouring the paramagical energy into the blast, certain that he had just reduced Zell to nothingness – before he saw, from the corner of his mind, Zell jump _out of the Flare_ and run straight for Sam, the Haste he had cast making him move like quicksilver.

Sam immediately let go of the Flare, the gigantic fire attack trundling off and destroying half a mountain, and backhanded Zell as he came roaring up – to watch, shocked, as his fist trailed _right through Zell's head_.

_Afterimage_…Sam could only think, before the real Zell crash-tackled him into the muddy ground, the red sludge around them already caked fairly high upon their bodies as Zell hammered a fist into Sam's face, once, twice, three times…

Before a Thundara blew him off, the electricity shocking him to his very nerves and blowing him a good five meters away from his target.

Sam managed to flip up onto his feet, wiping some mud off his eyes and probe the cut he had received to the eyebrow, the blood mixing with the rain as it continued to slash down on them.

Zell took his time getting up, slipping in the mud once before finding his feet.

"What's wrong, Hunter? Having some trouble?!"

Zell chose not to answer, instead shaking his head free of the mud cake on his face and taking his stance.

Sam nodded – and answered with full force, stepping forward and blasting a Firaga, Zell quickly threw up a Shell to take the brunt of the attack – before it stopped suddenly. Zell blinked and dropped the Shell, looking for Sam – not seeing him in mid air, where he had launched himself after letting go of the Firaga. He hung in the air for what seemed like a lifetime, reaching the zenith of his leap – before coming down on Zell savagely, both feet colliding with Zell's shoulders.

Zell screamed in agony as both arms popped out of their joints, his limbs suddenly falling limp as if someone had pulled their power cords.

He fell backwards, screaming and cursing as he tried to desperately get some time to recuperate – but Sam didn't allow him the time, grabbing him by his grubby hair and tossing him toward the cliff-face where he impacted hard, the tough bedrock shattering beneath his hard body as it struck the cliff some two stories up off the ground. Zell began to fall, gravity taking hold of his limp body – but just before he collided with the soft, muddy earth Sam ran up and jump-kicked him, his foot pushing into Zell's stomach and crunching it against the cliff-face, causing Zell to spew blood just before he fell to Gaia.

The fight was taking everything from them. Zell stood with a fury unmeasurable and swung his limp arm out painfully, allowing it to whip across Sam's face, Sam spitting out crimson as he fell to the ground, massaging his jaw. Zell stepped away from Sam, pain coursing through his arms, and he suddenly crunched his right shoulder against the cliff-face with a scream, the arm popping back into its socket.

Watching as Sam got to his feet groggily, Zell quickly – and agonisingly – popped his left arm back into it's socket and ran up to the White SeeD. Grabbing Sam by his head, Zell flipped up and over him, before pulling him by his neck and flinging him out far to skip on the muddy ground twice. Zell then took of in a run, smashing into the recovering Sam with fury, picking him up then _hammering_ him into the ground, burrowing him into the mud whilst simultaneously tenderising his stomach.

Sam king-hit Zell once, the double-fist smash cracking into Zell's head with an echoing whack, making the Hunter fall off the White SeeD in dazed agony, allowing Sam to make a hasty escape. Running a little off, he leant down, his hands on his legs, his breaths coming out in short bursts. "Dammit…" He gasped, watching as Zell rolled around in pain, holding his head. "It's supposed to be a lot easier then this…"

Zell shook his head for one last time and stood, looking at Sam dejectedly, his own breathing coming in short bursts. "I never knew I was this good…" he muttered to himself. "Damn cheater…I bet he _did_ watch all the matches in the tournament…Hyne knows what else he's got up his sleeves…" He shook his head. "No negative thinking!! Got to save Angel…got to save Selphie…got to save the rest!!"

He slammed his left foot into the ground, every muscle tensing as his paramagical levels began to rise.

Sam's eyes widened, taking his stance, barely able to contain his glee as he sensed what Zell was about to do. "Yes…that's it…"

Zell's body began to shake and tremble with the energy that course through it, the very ground beneath his feet seeming to shake as he balled his fists and put them beside him. "You wanna see My Final Heaven!?" He screamed at Sam, his body beginning to glow a bright red. "I'll show you!!"

Flexing his arms, he threw his head back and screamed to the heavens, to Hyne himself, as he gathered the energy for his final attack. He took his position, setting his legs into a running position, setting his left arm behind him, fist balled. _"MY!"_

He lifted his right arm in front of him to allow support and balance. _"FINAL!"_

Finally, he allowed the energy to flow straight through him, blue static coursing over his body as his magic levels topped themselves, making his head feel like it was about to explode, but he was too filled with rage to notice. _"HEAVEN!!!"___

One second he was there, his body coursing with stored and latent energy – the next he was going Mach Five, his body moving so fast it sluiced through solid objects as if they were ethereal. His legs moved like pistons, moving so fast that he wouldn't have been even to see them, even if he had been paying attention. His left arm shot out, his boy seeming to push it like a tiny battering ram as the atmosphere began to pull at it. His body seemed to gain speed with each step he took, his teeth gritting with effort, as wind became a pastime.

His mind screamed at him to stop - _this is what he wants he knows what to do stop now stop stop – _but his rage and power overrode his common sense, and he upped the notch, pulling more energy from his protective barrier to his speed. The world around him became less then a blur – everything started going white, all colours mixing and pasting together to become nothing but the basest of all colours, his body screaming along at Mach 23, 24, 25…

*          *          *

Squall watched as the ground behind Zell suddenly exploded outward, the name of his attack finally overtaking the shock of the power he was putting behind it.

He jumped up and tried to scream for Zell to stop, but he was gone, blazing a massive trench way past Sam as My Final Heaven hit Mach 1, a sonic boom sounding and kicking everybody off their feet.

Jumping to his feet, Squall turned to Rinoa, gripping her by both shoulders and shaking her roughly. "How long!?" he asked violently.

"No…not now…" Rinoa sobbed, unable to contain the pressure that they were bestowing on her.

"Well it better be soon, Rinoa! Cause Zell is going to die in the next few minute!!"

*          *          *

Zell's body felt like it was going to blow away from itself, the skin seeming to hang off his bones as he pulled more energy from his protective barrier into the power outage. All that course through his mind was the fact that if this didn't work, Sam had him dead centre.

He could feel his destination coming up – he was sure about it – he could almost smell it…

*          *          *

Everyone watched as a Zell suddenly appeared, the man's fist smashing into the muddy ground, a gigantic crater appearing where his fist was buried. He sat there for a second, his fist embedded in the bedrock and mud, the rain pouring of his face…

And then he _actually_ arrived.

*          *          *

Everything happened in slow motion.

His own fist, streaking forward, the light emitting from it dazzling him with its beauty and patterns.

The burning sensation as his fist denied all physics, pulling through the atmosphere with _no _resistance.

The snarling face of Sam, suddenly up close.

And then, nothing.

*          *          *

Squall watched, horrified, as Zell arrived.

Sam crouched there, Zell's fist just past his face, his arm almost touching the White SeeD's head where he had _ducked,_ My Final Heaven completely missing Sam, the shockwave from the sudden stop continuing out and destroying a few mountains.

Zell blinked dreamily. 

Rain coursed down his face.

The blood from his mouth dribbling down his chest and past Sam's arm, which had crouched and stabbed out just as Zells after-image began to dissipate.

Zell looked down at the arm, buried about an inch away from the shoulder, and frowned in a confused kind of way.

Sam then withdrew the arm, his Gauntleted fist coming out bloody, a great fountain of life force spewing out of the cavity, before giving Zell a gentle push.

Zell fell backwards easily, very limp, very lifeless, very dead.

*          *          *

"Noooo!" Rinoa screamed.

Squall gripped his LionHeart and growled, his rage insurmountable. "Fuck the plan!" He spat suddenly. "All of us, attack at once!!"

Laguna grasped Squall's shoulder. "No Squall! He'll cut us to pieces!!"

"Fuck you, old man! I'm going out there!!" And with that, Squall shoved Laguna way from him and raced out, his eyes blind with the rain and the fury as he continued to beat a path towards Sam.

*          *          *

Sam simply looked down at the Uber Ehrgiez on his fists, one blood red, the other covered in muddy dirt. He blinked, unable to answer the burning question in his mind – _what am I feeling?_

He suddenly sensed a burst of fiery energy, stealing a glance to his right as Squall screamed towards him, his LionHeart shimmering throughout the rain, steaming at the droplets hit the blazing blue blade.

_"Renzokuen!!"_Squall bellowed, hammering slash after slash at Sam.

Sam deflected them all, his Gauntlets deftly flicking the blade away from him, ducking and weaving as the blue blade cut lines through the droplets of rain slashing down around them. Sam had a weird expression on his face – like he was annoyed slightly.

The Renzokuken over, Squall jumped backward, electricity lacing off him as he powered up for the next attack. "Lion Hea –" was all he got out as Sam suddenly stepped in, his hand flat, the stab ending somewhere behind Squall's head.

"Do you mind?" Sam snarled. "I was having a quiet moment."

He then withdrew the hand, Squall flopping to the muddy ground, deader then Zell.

*          *          *

Rinoa looked on, unable to say anything. She simply sat on her knees, quivering as the man who killed her friend and her Knight began to walk forward, towards them.

_"Squall!!"_ Laguna cried in despair, Irvine barely able to keep the old man from running out to his certain doom. _"Squall!!__ Squall – let go of me, damn you – Squall!!"_

Irvine continued to keep the hold on the old man. "Dammit! If you go out there, then you'll die too, and what will you have accomplished!?"

Rinoa suddenly stood, her tiny fists balled, her eyes wide.

Irvine looked at her, then the struggling Laguna in his arms, then back at Rinoa. "Fuck! Rinoa!! Don't do it!! Rinoa!!"

But Rinoa ignored him, walking silently out into the rain, her tiny fists quivering as she took one trembling step after the other.

_My Knight…he destroyed my Knight…my Squall…he's done something irreparable…and for that…_ "I'll never forgive you!!" she finally screamed, throwing her arms out wide, the ground beneath her simply _disappearing_ as her power suddenly _tripled_.

Her body bathed in white light, rising a foot off the ground, her wings suddenly burst out of her back. Not her ordinary wings, however. No, these ones were _five times the size of her originals_.

When she opened her eyes, they didn't smoke – they _blazed_. She pointed a finger at Sam. _You will die for your action. So says the Angel of Death._

Sam looked up at her impassively, before cricking his neck from side to side and taking his stance. "Come on."

*          *          *

Irvine watched, amazed, as Rinoa suddenly took off up into the air, flying high up into the sky to disappear amongst the clouds. He didn't even need to hold onto Laguna anymore – he had been blown by the impressive show of power too.

That didn't matter anymore, however, as Laguna's left shoulder suddenly erupted into a gout of blood, his body being flung out into the rain as the sound of the gunshot echoed out into the Estharian night.

Irvine swivelled, his duel Uzi's pointed – at a very wet Deling, holding Selphie in front of him as a human shield, moving out from the darkness in the back of the cave. "Sorry, Slayer, but this is where your usefulness stops." He snarled as he held the gun out, just under the unconscious Selphie's armpit, his body perfectly shielded from any attack that Irvine could make…

…But not one from Laguna. Throw offside from the gunshot, Laguna also had a perfect shot at the fat President. Lifting the heavy Desperado with his one good hand, he fired off a short burst, the bullets shredding Deling's head clean off, black blood spurting everywhere as his body dropped limp to the dusty cave floor.

Irvine ran forward, grabbing Selphie's supine form and dragging her away, remembering what Zell had told him and Rinoa as they had picked their way out of the facility. 

True to his late friend's word, Deling's head began to grow back. First the spine and skull. Then the muscles and sinew. Finally skin and hair, his empty eyelids opening to reveal eyeballs puffing up within the sockets.

Getting up in a sitting position, he looked over at Laguna. "I thought I killed you." He said to the bewildered Laguna, before a perfect shot from Deling's handgun blew his Presidential brains out.

Irvine cradled Selphie's limp body in his arms, rocking her back and forth as Deling regained his footing and stepped forward, placing the pistol's barrel amongst Irvine's fiery red hair. "Maybe in another life, Slayer." Deling muttered unemotionally, his finger tightening on the trigger…

Before his head was twisted violently to the left, a brittle snap emitting from the neck area, and he dropped, revealing a very beaten by alive and kicking Angel. She looked down at Deling and spat a gobbet of blood on him, blinking at the need to stand, let alone the strength to snap a healthy man's neck.

Irvine looked up at her quickly, tears streaming down his face. "W-watch out! He can rejuvenate!!"

"I know." Angel said dully, stepping around the dead President and kicking him punt-style, sending him flying into the cave wall, another brittle snap signifying something else breaking before he landed with a dull thump. She quickly turned to Irvine. "How is she?"

"She's…she's…"

Angel turned back to Deling, who was getting up from his position shakily. She watched as he reached up with both hands and violently twisted his head straight, before knocking his spine back into joint. He shook his head clear of chocobos and smiled at her. "I'm surprised, my dear. I was sure that Sam beat you to death."

"Within an inch of my life is more like it…" angel said dully, stepping forward and hammering a palm into his nose, sending cartilage into his brain, killing him instantly. "But fortunately…if there's one thing that Zell's taught me…" she said, quickly grabbing his arm and turning round, twisting his body of her back and onto the floor, before turning the arm to an unnatural angle. "…it's to never give up." She finally reached down and worked his other arm around his back, snapping it, before grabbing both feet, placing a delicate foot onto his crotch, and dislocating both legs with a savage jerk. She dropped the limp legs and spat on his corpse. "Lets see you walk away from that one, bitch."

Suddenly a pitched, piercing scream came from the heavens, and every living eye looked up to see something horrifying.

A Flare – the size of the continent.

*          *          *

Sam simply looked up at the sky, and held up his hands. Opening his mouth, he screamed a chilling scream, one that filled every person listening hearts and souls, a great blue light suddenly forming around him as he stopped his banshee scream and bellowed one word.

"Tiamet!!" 

*          *          *

Rinoa looked down as her Flare filled the sky, and suddenly realised that she might have put a little too much power into the attack.

She didn't have to worry about repercussions, however, as the Flare was suddenly swallowed up by something huge…something massive…something _scaly…_

The Queen of the Dragons suddenly reared up in the night sky with her, it's giant wings slashing out in a rhythmical beat. It's reptilian head craned to look at her, it's intelligent eyes boring holes into her. _Foolish Sorceress…_ it pulsed, it's words simply forming in the Sorceress's mind. _You're attack could have destroyed Gaia._

_Your master killed my Knight, my lover. He cannot survive._

_Whilst I am in this form, I cannot disagree with you. I am bonded to him for all eternity, and therefore, you must die._ The dragon flew back a bit, flinging it's wings out wide in the night sky, it's mouth wide open as it began to draw in energy particles for it's Dark Flare.

_We have Bahamut, your King. _Rinoa quickly and sadly pulsed.

The Dragon Queen stopped immediately, Rinoa swearing that she could see shock within it's reptilian face. _The…the Dragon King is dead._

True…now. The small girl down there in the boy's arms – she is the one who possesses Bahamut. She is dead now. If you will allow me, I will revive her, along with all my other friends.

Tiamet swept its head to the side in anguish. _Do so now._

Come into me. Only then will I heal my friends.

Impossible. A Sorceress and the Queen of the Dragons? I have no guarantee that you will destroy this universe, like you were about to before.

I swear to you, my Grace, that no more harm will come to Gaia. My mind is clear now, the fog of rage completely gone.

Tiamet paused, seeming to be contemplating the matter…before nodding. You speak truth.

In a flash of brilliant light, Tiamet suddenly entered Rinoa's body, worming it's way into it's own place within her brain. Rinoa drew in a long breath, her blazing eyes closed, her mouth opening into a shuddering gasp as the power of a Dragon Queen entered her…before she doubled over, her wings doubling in size once more, her open eyes now fiery to the sight.

She looked down at the world beneath her. I have the power to do anything…I can do anything… Holding a hand out, she gently closed her fiery white eyes and allowed her magic to run smoothly, like silk, out of his hand and into the night sky…

*          *          *

Sam opened his eyes, finding that he was lying in the mud, staring up at the raining sky, the clouds seeming to be filled with some kind of strange glowing light.

He frowned. Tiamet should have killed the Sorceress easily, even in the upgraded state she was in. The only way that the Queen of the Dragons wouldn't have destroyed her was if the Sorceress bitch had another card up her sleeve.

He frowned again, however. Cocking his head to one side, he watched as the rain petered to a stop, to be replaced by white feathers, floating down through the cloud. He held out a blood soaked Gauntlet to feel the feather pass through it.

Immediately, all his wounds were healed, his power returning to it's original level as opposed to his terrible tiredness he had experience when drawing the Dragon Queen. He shook his head. What is this? Some kind of Blue??

He didn't see Squall sit up out of the mud, rubbing his face as if not wanting to acknowledge that he had just been missing that piece.

He didn't see Selphie open her eyes slowly, looking up at an ecstatic Irvine and lifting a blood-covered hand to trace across his perfect chin.

He didn't see an agonised Deling, quivering in fear within a corner of the cave as ethereal feathers suddenly surrounded him, each one seeming like death to him.

He did see, however, a hand shoot up from the muddy ground. 

A hand with a beaten and tattered Ehrgiez Glove on.

*          *          *

Irvine looked down at Selphie and sniffed. "I thought…you were dead…"

"I think I was." At her voice, Irvine suddenly burst into tears, unable to contain himself much longer. Selphie could do nothing but look awkwardly at him as he drew her into a breath-killing hug. "I'm alright now though!!" she assured.

*          *          *

Deling, in the back of the cave, whimpered as one of the feathers passed through his hand. Almost immediately, his entire body felt stiff, like someone had put way too much starch into his dirty, smelly suit.

Angel walked up to him slowly, each feather passing through her seeming to make her glow more and more, her namesake seeming more real then ever. She crouched before Deling, and pressed her finger into his forehead.

It crumbled without resistance, almost five years of decay turning Deling's body into a hollow husk.

*          *          *

Squall sat up, rubbing his face and wondering what the hell was going on. He looked around, the area seeming lighter then before, and looked up to see the feathers floating gently down from the bright heavens.

He smiled. You've done it, Rinoa.

*          *          *

Zell lifted his hand, looking at it through the bright light in the sky.

"I coulda sworn it was night time when I left…" He muttered to himself distantly, watching as a feather seemed to simply pass straight through the hand and into his chest.

The feeling was amazing. Every feather that touched him seemed to give him more and more strength, until he had more then enough power to stand, more then enough to topple a mountain with a single punch!

He looked, however, at one person standing just a little ways away.

Sam. Still alive, still wearing his Uber Ehrgiez Gauntlets. And looking confused.

"The good part about being a good guy…" Zell called out, re-fixing his Ehrgeiz Gloves as the last of the feathers fell to Gaia. "…Is that not much can keep you down." He looked at Sam with daggers in his eyes. "Even death."

Sam pointed a finger at Zell. "Maybe so…but you'll just have to find out when I splatter your body all over the place!!" He then balled his fists and set them to his sides, screaming a magic word. "Aura!!"

His body began to glow a brilliant yellow, and Zell spied Squall beginning to sneak up behind him, his LionHeart blazing and ready. "Squall! He's mine!! Get back to the others!!" Zell cried, waving his hand in a bid to get rid of Squall.

Squall paused again, seeming to weigh up the odds, before Sam spoke through gritted teeth. "Do as he says, Sorceress Knight – or you'll die for the second time today."

Squall hesitated again – then looked up to see Rinoa floating down, her arms limp, looking quite tired. She looked down happily to see Squall standing, and managed to fly down into his arms, her wings disappearing as she fell into his arms.

"Go!!" Zell cried, waving his hand at them again.

Squall nodded and cradled Rinoa close to him before running for the cave mouth.

Sam smiled wickedly, the golden aura around him blazing brilliantly as his power levels began to skyrocket, the strength to speak becoming a little overwhelming as opposed to drawing the energy from within. "You do know, Hunter, that they will all die after I kill you."

Zell shook his head slowly. He never felt so in control in his life. Everything was clear now, everything lit up in his mind. "No you won't. Because I'm going to stop you…with a technique that you will never be able to copy. Because it will kill you the instant it hits you."

Sam lifted his head and laughed out loud into the night sky, now clear thanks to the Mega Full-Life used by Rinoa. "You're bluffing, Hunter! My Final Heaven is the most powerful martial arts in the world!! I think your little Sorceress must've fried your brain when you were resurrected!!"

"Then use My Final Heaven. Let's find out."

Sam shook his head, then smashed his left leg back, pinning it. He crouched down on his right, in the perfect sprint-race stance, blue electricity lacing all around his body as he opened his mouth to utter the first word of power. "MY!"  
He lifted his right arm, sending it far back behind him, the blood-soaked Uber Ehrgiez lifted high above his body, the electricity coursing up and down it. "FINAL!"

He curled his left arm out in front of him, the power flowing around him almost completely charged…almost…almost… "HEAVEEEEENN!!!"

Zell had never seen a My Final Heaven from a victims point of view, and in his calm state he was in now, he took the time to study all aspects of the traitors form, which, essentially, was Zell's form, copied down to the last detail.

Zell saw he needed to make sure to keep the left leg straighter next time he used it.

Sam exploded from his stance, disappearing in a flash of blue light, passing Zell by a fraction of a millimetre. The wind currents emitted from starting off at Mach 1 – the speed of sound – spun Zell like a top, but he managed to smash his foot into the muddy ground, stopping his spin. He shook his head to clear the cobwebs.

Right…it took me exactly ten seconds to go from here and back all around the world – but, of course, I was taking more power from the protective barrier to increase my speed and strength. So if I stand here…like so…

He took a few steps back from his position, spreading his legs shoulder-width apart and lifting his left hand, palm outstretched. And waited.

Eight seconds later what looked like a dot in the distance appeared on the horizon – before Sam suddenly smashed into Zell, plough straight through him, destroying what was left of the mountain behind him.

Zell stood his ground. It was the after image…it always was the after image that they fell for. Clearing his mind, he cast Haste – the red speed magic flaring around his body – and began to wait for the real Sam.

He didn't wait long. Stealing a glance behind him, Zell saw that the after-image of Sam was beginning to dissipate – looking forward again, he almost missed seeing Sam begin to emerge from the horizon, going at speeds unfathomable. One millisecond he was at the horizon – the next he was in Zell's face, his fist almost connecting…

…but Zell had the Haste to help him. The world seemed to slow as Sam seemed to simply appear before him, and Zell took the only possible action – fall. He fell backwards easily, Sam's legs coming close to crush him – but Zell managed to flick out his leg, tripping the traitorous SeeD and sending him sprawling, tumbling, into the cliff-face once more, becoming buried in rocks.

Zell, his breath now faster then it had been in a long while, turned to see Sam pull himself out of the rocky cliff, shaking his head groggily. He looked up at Zell, squinting. "Dammit! You should be dead!!"

"And you will be…in a few minutes."

Sam took a threatening step forward – before his knee exploded, the kneecap suddenly flying out of the leg, the shinbone and the thigh bone shattering almost on their own. Zell managed to catch the bloody patella as it sailed past his head, and walked towards the now screaming Sam, who had collapsed to the floor clutching his bloody stump of a leg.

Zell stepped up to him, pulling Sam's hand away from the wound and stepping on it with all the force he could muster. Sam's howls of agony were still nothing compared to Zell's tortured screams from before – but at least it gave Zell some peace of mind. "It's not fun, is it? That's the repercussions of using My Final Heaven. That's why I don't use it whenever I have the chance. Because there's a good chance that next time, I might die from it."

Sam's face was screwed up in agony, his eyes mad from pain. "You tricked me!!" He bellowed, suddenly standing on his one good leg. "That wasn't My Final Heaven! It was a trick!! Show me the real My Final Heaven!!"

Zell took a few steps back, taking his stance, watching Sam carefully. "That was the real My Final Heaven. It's not omnipotent, you know."

Sam screamed a scream of rage, flinging himself forward, his hands filled with Fire as he attacked Zell.

Which was what Zell was waiting for. Stepping inside the enraged Sam's attack, he thwacked his fist right into Sam's stomach, stopping the White SeeD in his tracks, Zell's fist buried deep within his guts.

Sam's whole body seemed to pause – before his guts twitched violently, then exploded into chunky red pieces, blood and guts flying all over Zell. Sam's screams of sheer agony was quickly cut off as his upper half of the torso toppled forward into Zell's other fist, which hammered into Sam's head with a precision blow, smashing it high up into the air.

His screamed fell short just on the zenith of the flight up – before the skull twitched to the left, exploding and sending bits of brain and skull all over the muddy ground.

Zell wasn't finished yet. Moving fast, he quickly pulled the Uber Ehrgiez Gauntlets off the disembodied arms as they fell to the floor – then, with speed unimaginable, spun on his heel and held his arm out, the Flare blasting what was left of Sam's body into ashes.

His mission finally completed, Zell sat down in the muddy ground around him, looking down at the Uber Ehrgiez gauntlets he had in his left hand. One was blood red – the other silver, smattered in mud and rain. He absently began to pick at the red on the bloody one, but found it wouldn't come off.

He shrugged. Another job for Grease Monkey.

A cry of job came from behind him, and he swivelled around to see Angel running towards him, covered in blood and mud. Zell, covered in head to toe in mud and blood and Sam bits and pieces, shied away slightly as she threw her arms around his neck, hugging him for all he was worth.

He pulled her off, looking down at his shoes. "What's wrong, Zell?" She asked, looing up at him, her voice quiet.

"I'm dirty…"

She smiled cheekily, and cast a Water spell, the sudden wave of clear blue H2O suddenly washing over the both of them, freezing cold and damningly cleansing.

He looked at her, clean but now very, very wet. "Thanks."

She stepped forward, a large grin from ear to ear. "No problem." She said with a sigh as she pulled him down into a big kiss.

*          *          *

Squall and Rinoa stepped out of the cave, looking up at the stars, Squall's arm around the tired Rinoa. He looked down at her with a smile. She smiled tiredly back up at him, them pointed to the stars with a single finger.

He grinned and kissed her forehead, before leading her to join Zell and Angel.

Irvine and Selphie walked out of the cave too. That is to say, Irvine walked out carrying Selphie, not wanting to let go of her, no matter how much she complained. "Put me down, dammit!!" she squealed happily as he peppered her cheeks with kisses and muttered things about never, ever letting her out of his sight. Ever.

Laguna stepped out of the cave scrubbing the back of his neck, feeling decidedly tired and a little hungry. He wanted to go play with Chico.

All of them got together, watching as Zell tried to pry Angel off of his face. He looked at Squall with a lopsided grin on his face, and held his hand out. "Job well done, Commander?"

"Job well done, Hunter."

They all looked up suddenly as three Ragnaroks suddenly appeared out of nowhere, their search lights flicking on and focusing on the group, the last of the words spoken from a megaphone echoing away within the destroyed canyon.

All the boys out their respective others behind them, Zell quickly pulling off his Ehrgiez gloves and replacing them with the multicoloured Uber Ehrgiez, holding them up in a defensive stance. Squall pulled the Lion Heart from it's clip, the blue blade shimmering in the dust as the Ragnaroks began to land all around them. Irvine finally puled both Uzi's from the slings he had taken with him and pointed them at the entrances of the two closest Ragnaroks.

In effect, the SeeDs were surrounded.

"Stay sharp." Squall hissed. "They might be remnants of the Defectors."

"How untrue you are, Mr. LeonHeart." The megaspeaker from the blue Ragnarok boomed. The green and yellow ones landed perfectly, the landing bays opening, groups of soldiers in unknown armour spewing out of the entrances and levelling strange looking weapons at the SeeDs.

The blue one finally landed, the turbines finally dying down as the landing bay ramp opened to reveal an important looking man.

"My gods…Commander Carpenter…" Squall gasped, still keeping his gun blade raised.

"Who the hell is he, Squall?" Zell muttered, making sure that he kept his hands pointed at the man as he walked slowly down the ramp.

"He's the commander and chief of all the Gardens. In effect – he's the Master of the Garden Committee!!"

"Hyne…" Angel gasped, watching as the Master of all Gardens slowly walked up to them. NORG, a large Shumi, had been the Master of Balamb garden, and his mind had been corrupted by the power wielded by the mercenaries. To stop something like that from happening again, the Garden Committee had been formed, to oversee all Gardens. Even the White SeeD ship had a delegate within the Garden Committee. But there had always been rumours that one man controlled the Garden Committee – one man ruling them all.

He stepped up to the SeeDs, smiling what seemed like a genuine smile, before looking up at the sky. "Nice night, huh?" He looked down at the ground, where his expensive looking shoes sank into the mud, as well as the mixture of brains, bone fragments and guts from the obliterated body of Sam. "Although I'll have to say that the scenery will need improving."

He looked like an average man, not the shadowy figure everybody figured he would look like. He was about the same size as Squall, with brown hair combed back neatly and wearing a black suit and tie combo. His hazel eyes scanned the group, watching as each person he looked at seemed to shy away…except for President Laguna. He walked forward, outstretching his hand. "Matt! Long time, no see!!"

"Mr. President." Commander Carpenter said politely, bowing to the President of Esthar.

Laguna waved him off. "Nah, don't do that. It's good to have someone my age around. I was beginning to feel a bit awkward about hanging around with all these young couples…"

Squall stepped forward, Rinoa tagging close behind. "Father…you know this man?"

"Of course! You think he made these Ragnaroks all by himself?!"

"You never told me you knew the Garden Commander!"

"You never asked!!"

Commander Carpenter held up his hands. "Gentlemen, please. I'm here for a reason, and I'd lie to get down to business…it looks like you've all had a rough couple of weeks." His hazel eyes locked onto Zell. "And It looks like you've had one hell of a day."

Zell smiled weakly, lowering his hands. He realised that he was only dressed in his SeeD formal pants ad boots – and they were pretty messed up from the fight. "Tell me about it."

Commander Carpenter chuckled at that, before gesturing for Zell to follow him.

Zell looked hesitantly at Squall, before moving to follow the mysterious character. When they were a little ways away from the group, Commander Carpenter turned and grinned at Zell happily. "First off…it's a pleasure to meet you, Zell. Believe it or not, I'm a big fan of yours." 

He put out a hand, and Zell shook it evenly, his metal gauntlets enveloping the taller mans grasp. "You don't say?" Zell chuckled.

Carpenter retrieved his hand and stood firmly, hands behind his back, looking serious. "Now, Mr. Dincht…I'll bet you're wondering why I'm here…"

"It would help, Commander."

Carpenter chuckled again. "I've been monitoring you for a while now, for reasons that will soon become clear. What I'd like to say is, that in all the area that we've tested you in, you've excelled at tremendously. You've blasted the records through the roof!!  There has never been anyone around as powerful in martial arts as you."

Zell narrowed his eyes. "Tests?"

"Yes. We had to test your skills as a martial artist – the Tournament – your skills as a leader – leading Selphie and Irvine, as well as giving a commanding lead in saving Justice's life, your survival skills, in defeating the enemy, and finally, your loyalty skills."

Zell's confused face turned into a frown. "Wait a minute. Are you telling me that this was all a setup!? Deling, Sam – it was all to test me?!"

Commander carpenter raised his hands. "no, of course not!" He lowered is hands and saw Zell's expression. "Well…maybe a little. We found Watts not long after they had beaten him, and fed him the falsified information, then gave your Commander Squall the coordinates to give him medical attention. Unfortunately, you weren't able to review him. We also made sure that Sam and Deling were given a little…incentive along the way."

From the darkness behind Carpenter came a slight figure, nursing a bump on the back of her head. "Emily…" Zell snarled.

"Hello Zell." She said evenly. "Sorry about giving you that virus. It just to see how you'd cope…that's all."

"No hard feelings, Huh?" Zell spat. "I suppose you were the one who was testing my loyalty as well?"

"That's right. The kiss I gave you wasn't only the Kiss Of Death…it was also partly a control Blue. You never even knew it was within you…but I couldn't control you. Not even when you were beaten and bleeding…I couldn't control your mind."

Zell stepped forward and sucker punched the Goth, sending her flying into the only mountainside which still stood, before turning to Carpenter, rasing his fist in the air. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't do the same?"

Commander Carpenter stood stock still, completely calm. "I'll give you three – one, your friends, no matter how good they are, will be cut to ribbons by my soldiers. Two, you haven't been given permission, as a SeeD, to hit me. I am your Commander-In-Chief. And thirdly – I've got a mission for you. And you've passed the test to obtain that mission."

Zell lowered is hand in curiosity. "What kind of a mission?"

"Save the world." Carpenter said simply.

Zell rolled his eyes. "Been there, done that, don't  want to do it again."

"Not this world. I meant another world. Another Gaia."

Zell frowned. "I think I'll just hit you and take my chances with the guards."

Carpenter rolled his eyes and pulled a piece of paper from his breast pocket. "Take a look at this."

Zell took the paper warily, ad looking at it in the floodlights of one of the Ragnaroks, saw that it was a photo. It looked like a marble archway of sorts, but all cracked and crumbly. Within the archway, however, was something that Zell had seen before – a portal. "Time Compression." Zell muttered.

Carpenter shook his head slowly. "Not exactly. More like a Universal Compression. We believe that a Sorceress from the future universe – a universe that might be - is trying to open a portal somewhere within this world in order to come to us and destroy us. And we need you to stop her."

"Why me?"

"Look at you, Zell! You've got just as much power as Rinoa does now!! You've worked out a way to kill a man in a single punch, wether you're tied or completely refreshed! And you've also proved you're a great leader."

Zell bit his bottom lip. He looked down at the photo, memories of the future world huddling behind his eyes, before turning and looking at his friends and loved ones.

Angel caught his eyes and winked at him happily. She knew that nothing was going to go wrong now that everything was over.

Well…almost everything. Zell sighed and handed the photo back, looking at Commander Carpenter straight in the eye. "When do I start?"

The End

*          *          *

Jesus!! That took a while!!

I hope you like this fic! Keep an eye out for the Sequel, FF8 Tournament – A Matter Of Time, coming out as soon as I finish off Chronicles and SuperNatural…which shouldn't take me very long. Just remember, read my other stuff! They're all just as good!!!

However!! There is another chapter after this…an epilogue…keep reading for the most shocking twist of them all…


	30. Epilouge: Destiny

Ch 30 – Epilogue

_Some say that there is no such thing as destiny. There is no fate. WE choose where we go. WE choose the path we walk…_

_…but what would happen if we couldn't choose your path? What if everything we do is predestined? Preordained??_

…In a distant future…

…in a distant universe…

…there sits the Angel of Death, her massive white wings folded behind her raven black hair…

…Flanked by the King and Queen of the Dragons…

…and her Knight, his shimmering blue gunblade by his side…


End file.
